Rhododendrons

This is a shot I took in a friend's beautiful garden many years ago.  I played with the lighting and then converted it to black and white.  I liked the look of it, however, and wanted to play some more so I added some colour, some texture and a brush that I made myself (new bit of learning!).  And a frame.  It's a wee bit skewed but that's ok.  I'm learning and that's the most fun and I know how to fix it for next time.

I have been given a surgery date for very early in the new year!  I'm pretty excited at the thought of being able to go for walks again!  I have saved a class I recently purchased about art on the iPhone so I will tackle that whilst recovering since I won't be at my kitchen table for a few months.  I won't be able to bend forward (as in over my computer) for a while.  And my old cell phone is about 15 years old so I am looking at getting an iPhone, mostly for the picture taking capabilities (is that silly?).  Looking forward to the class, however!

You know I'll be back.

Do you know Anna Aspnes?

Anna Aspnes is an amazing designer and I totally love her style.  Check it out:

http://www.annaaspnesdesigns.com/

Check out the link to her blog and you can also sign up for her newsletter.  She also has a youtube channel where her videos show you, in a clear and easy to follow manner, how to use all the various bits and pieces of her kits.  It is really worth visiting her site if her style appeals to you.  Well, even if it doesn't, because it's fun to see what Anna and others are producing in this style.  So many possibilities.

I made this piece using a template from one of her kits.  It comes as a PSD file, so you can edit, change, re-arrange, re-colour,  etc. any or all the various layers.  I still have so very much to learn, but it was fun taking some of my own photos and creating this page.  Great for creating travel memories. Of course, she has kits for all kinds of seasons and holidays, events and even non-events,  just to celebrate a moment.  It's fun.

You know I'll be back.

http://www.annaaspnesdesigns.com/

Still poking along.

I am still pretty much confined to my kitchen table.  There is Netflix and there is Photoshop.  And there is rain.  All of it conducive to a bit of creative play.  (Well, except for the Netflix part, but then a break now and again is great, don't you think!)

This is a piece I worked on today.  There is a lot of content provided in the courses I am taking and I have also purchased some pics of models from the Colby Files, a photographer in Arizona.  He also provides content to the courses but this pic I purchased, and then added lots and lots of other bits and pieces.  Layers, masks, overlays, blending.  Fun!

We set the clocks back tonight, which means I get an extra hour to play tomorrow.  Hmmmm, wonder what I'll do.

I'll be back.

Just because I can

I am posting this now because I hope to post something similar in about a year to see whether or not I have progressed!  Bizarre??? Probably, but I tend to lose things you see, so this is as good a place to store it as any!  So, honestly, if you don't want to, you don't need to read any further.  Class dismissed!!!

This might not be a terribly exciting piece (sorry!) but for me, it is exciting in what it represents: my first pic that is a total compilation of bits and pieces.  I still have such a long way to go, but I feel as if this might represent the first few steps.  It will be a long journey I expect!  But it's a fun one, to be sure and one that has already brought me so much pleasure, here at my kitchen table.

This post represents a lot of studying, a lot of pondering, and a lot of experimenting.  I watch the videos that come with the various classes I am taking (at the moment, mostly classes falling under the umbrella of Sebastian Michael's classes, link below) and then I watch them again!  Trying to remember what steps to follow (my logical brain kicking in) I wake up early, too early, but then I HAVE to get up to see if I can figure out something that is bothering me about a piece.  In the above piece, for instance, I was trying to figure out how to darken just that little bit behind the model's head:  just a dark brush?, a curves adjustment on a black layer?, a 50% grey layer to selectively darken?, or (and this one often seems perfect) tossing the whole lot in the bin!  So I slept on it (sort of, I got up at three a.m. again, the problem nagging at my brain) and tried all of these (except the bin part), and I now know how to do all of them, without having to look it all up.  That's what I'm after.  I'm sure there are lots of other ways but it's a start!

The above pic contains purchased content and content provided for free with the course.

photoshopgrunge.com

Getting There

I am excited that I can mess about in Photoshop and not be having to look things up all the time....how to do this and that.  It's getting better.  Still such a far way to go, but there are times when it doesn't feel quite so overwhelming.

This is a shot taken not too far from where I live.  I am so lucky.  I've added many layers and effects, filters (smart and otherwise!), borders, etc etc.  Slowly but surely.

But for sure, I'll be back.

Window Dancing in the Fall.

I continue to move along on my Photoshop journey.  Still at my kitchen table.  It could be worse.  It is most definitely Fall and while we are having a lot of rain, we do seem to have some lovely periods of clear weather most days.  It is a beautiful season.  One of the layers I have used in this pic is a shot I took of a maple tree with its gorgeous golden leaves.  Some of the gold is showing on the shutter behind the dancer.  I like to think I have hidden a bit of the season in my image!

This is an image of a dancer that I extracted from some purchased material.  I then placed her on a window ledge from a picture taken in Avignon a couple of years ago.  Some layers, some shadows, some extra materials, messing about with frames again.  There is so much to learn and I seem to be most 'able' in the forgetting department.  Oh well, more practice.  And then more.  It's all good.

I'll be back.

Back to the Louvre

Oh my gosh, what did we do before digital photography??  Well, mostly I didn't....too much fuss and expense.  Now it's so easy.  So here I just brought up a photo I had taken in the Louvre a couple of years ago and I did a small rework.  I am still working on the extraction tools and haven't yet tackled anything as fussy as 'flying hair' but soon!  But a few extra layers, borders, backgrounds, overlays, tons of fun and c'est fini!  Such an interesting journey this is!

This pic had some other bits and pieces in the original that I can now remove easily (no flying bits here!....well, just the wings I guess)  and I am getting more comfortable with adding borders, lighting, etc.  Oh this does make living at my kitchen table so much more palatable!

I'll be back....

A little frustration and a small view

I am still playing with my photos, trying to understand image size, save for web, importing into Lightroom (good grief, where did it go??), messing about in Photoshop, and basically moving files around from here to ..... where???

So this is one I have played with before. A street scene in Arles.  I am adding it here to see how it might look after all the madness I went through to get it here: I imported it from a file of my 'web version' photos, then ran it through Topaz Impressions (which I may or may not have installed correctly, so I seem to have to run it outside of Photoshop), then I re-saved it, then I brought it into  Photoshop, applied some layers, filters and effects, and when I checked the image size, it was about one inch by one inch.  All-righty-then!

More baby steps.  LOTS more baby steps!
Learning, learning.  I'm going out for coffee.  Seems the sensible thing to do just now!

I'll be back.

Topaz Impression

I have purchased a programme that works inside Photoshop and that allows one to make some pretty exciting pictures, using one's own photos.  It's great but it reminds me a lot of some of the apps I purchased to use with my iPad.  Except that the iPad apps are a lot (LOT) less expensive.  Still, it's lots of fun and I will certainly concede that I have only just scratched the surface of its possibilities so I expect that in time I may change my mind.  Some of the work that other people have done is awesome.

Anyway, it's called Topaz Impression and is just one of a number of possible purchases under the Topaz umbrella.  It's all pretty amazing!

Lots to do, tons to learn,....I'll be back...

Roses

Still playing about with Photoshop and all the bits and pieces that that entails.  Working my way through (ALL!!) the classes I'm doing at the moment....thank goodness for 'lifetime access'!

This is a pic I took 5 or 6 years ago at a B &B we stayed at in Port Townsend.  Lots of lovely bits of ephemera about the place.  I'm still just trying out lots of different layers, filters, layer masks, etc.  I've installed (sort of) a couple of 'plug ins' and because of my lo-tech (read: total lack of) capabilities, I'm never sure if they are running properly or not.  Lots of deep breaths!!!

But some progress.  There's no hurry.
I'll be back.

Edges and borders

More busy-ness with the courses that I am taking.  Which is great.  I have been learning about adding borders and edges to my pictures.  It's a good job that I am taking notes as I am watching these lessons because I would never remember all the steps.  The old brain just can't cope with all this information anymore!!!

These two pics, of a window in Arles, show two different edge effects.  One with a blurred edge and the other with a more solid line around the edge of the image.  They are also both set into a white border (not sure if that will show up once I have hit the 'publish' button.  I notice that Google puts a bit of a border around posted pictures anyway, so this might be a two for one!  We'll see.)

I have also started using a Intuos Pro tablet for my Photoshop work and am trying out using it for all my computering.  It's interesting and a bit of a learning curve....one sort of throws out the mouse and goes for it.  It means that one simply places the cursor where one intends to start typing or working an effect.  Some things are a bit awkward, but I can see that in the long run, especially with Photoshop, things will move along a lot more quickly.  And soon, efficiently, I hope!!!

And one more, just so you know it's not all about just windows!!

With this one I played with the lighting as well.  So much to learn!!!

But it's great fun, and as long as I can remember what it is that I have been doing, hopefully I'll remember where to find the information again should I want to repeat any of these steps!!!  Never a dull moment!!  It's all good.

I'll be back.

Breakfast out.

One of the lessons I am studying is the Watercolour Lesson  with a line art layer.  I love it and am playing about with it quite a lot.  It's fun.  This one is a table in a restaurant from many years ago.  Coming back to life here!

I'm still not done with this technique!!  I'll be back!

Oh the madness!!!

Still playing but the possibilities are pretty much infinite.  And at some point one has to say 'Done!'
I think.  These are two pics from Lille, France.  The gite we stayed at there had a spectacular garden.  And so I have LOTS of pics to choose from.  And here I am trying to choose between cropping, or not.  Which filters to use.  Which overlays.  Warmer, cooler.  And my laptop screen shows a much lighter, warmer version than my iPad.  Agh!!  And so, with photoshop, and Life, too, I suppose.....what is real????

The fun part is real.  I'm going with that!  Which version do you like best?

Mayne Island

The ferry ride from Victoria to Vancouver is very beautiful and passes by several islands en route.  The ferry passes between Mayne Island and Galiano Islands and then Pender and Saltspring Islands.  So lovely.  As a ferry leaves Victoria, one also leaves Vancouver in the opposite direction and they pass one another as one moves through the islands.  Impressive.  And close!!!  Pods of orcas move through here as well and if one is lucky.......

This pic is of the lighthouse on Mayne Island, messed about with in Photoshop.  I have spent the week trying to understand and then create my own custom brushes. I may have accidentally erased my brain.  Apparently Control-Z should bring it back.  Or maybe just some more zzzzz's!  Lots of things to try!

I'll be back.

From here to there.

I have purchased a few (!!!) of the digital downloads from the Anna Aspnes store.  Her value packs and her palettes are quite lovely and contain lots of little bits and pieces that can be added to a piece and then tweaked.  I believe that everything that I have added here is from Anna's site.  Yum!  I am still thinking of stitch but since that eventuality seems a long way away I shall continue to play in this arena.  The little one that is the chair in front of my kitchen table!!  It's fun.

Oh goodness.  I hope you can see why it's such fun!!  These two pics show my starting point and where I have ended up for the moment.  Saving the final piece as a PSD file means that I can go in and continue to play around with the layers if I want.  I realize it is just the beginning of my journey, but I am learning lots.  It's what I like to do.

I'll be back.

http://www.annaaspnesdesigns.com/

http://www.oscraps.com/shop/Anna-Aspnes-Designs-c-383/

Anna Aspnes and Photoshop

Oh my.  My madness continues.  I can sometimes get lost in a tangential world!  And this has happened briefly here.  I discovered, through the Photoshop Artistry course I am taking, the work of designer Anna Aspnes.  While I have never done any scrapbooking, I believe that some of Anna's work would be in that genre.  But digitally.  Interesting.  I was inspired by some of her work and, after spending a bit of time on her blog (she sounds lovely), and purchasing a couple of things from the site that sells her work (oh my, again) I put together this little piece.  Took me a whole day, but that's ok.  I find that it is helping to cement some of the techniques from the Artistry course, so it's all good.

This is a piece with several pics that I took from our trip to France in 2014.  I can see where this would be a fun way to put together a memory book.  For all kinds of themes. Birthdays, graduations, summer, whatever.  Well, I suppose that is what the scrapbooking thing is all about,  Fun.

I woke up at three this morning (thank you, Full Moon) and have been up since then, playing around with Photoshop, trying new things, and then trying to figure out how I did them!!!  I love it!  Here are some links to tempt you.  Careful....it's pretty addictive!!!  You've been warned!

http://www.annaaspnesdesigns.com/

http://oscraps.com/

http://fineartgrunge.com/grungecanvas/

The Oregon Coast and moving forward

I am one of those people who often starts a how-to book, or a new course, and who re-does the first chapter or the first module a Hundred times, and never gets any further!!  Mind you, it means I know the first chapter Really Really Well.  But here I am pushing on with my photoshop course and I have moved into the second part of the Second Module.  Second!! Second I tell you!   Yay!

I continue to be absolutely delighted with this course!!  Here is a link to the course, in case you are wondering what all the fuss is about!!

 http://fineartgrunge.com/grungecanvas/

This is a pic I took several years ago on a trip down the Oregon Coast.  The scenery is spectacular and it is such fun to revisit some of my old photos.  Here I am practicing high-grunge technique, vignetting, layering, etc.

One of the advantages of being stuck at my kitchen table is that I can noodle away all day on my laptop, sometimes 8 hours or more, playing away with the information from the course.  Honestly, it is such a lot of fun!  But it's mildly obsessive....oh no wait, maybe that's just me!  And my guy is away for a week just now, so here I am, dawn 'til dusk.  My coffee gets cold, lunch is at three....it's all Perfect!!!!

And I'm starting to think of ways to put some of my pics onto fabric....but not just yet.  Need a bit more mobility for that.

Oh, I do hope you're not getting bored.
Because you know I'll be back....

Which one???

I have had to purchase more space for my Google Drive!  Quelle surprise!  And it's partially because I am saving (far too many of) my images to make comparisons for later, to try to remember what I've done whilst processing them, and so on and so on.  And therein madness lies!!  But it's kind of fun along the way.  For instance, this is a shot I took in Blois several years ago, during a coffee break (yeah, ok, coffee and croissant....but when in France, right??)  Both started out with the lighting effects filter and then one is posterized and the other has a watercolour filter applied to it,  Which one do I like best?? No idea!!!

Hard for me to decide.  I love the cartoon look to it all, however...that I like on both of them.  Such fun!

I'll be back.  Just have to save a few more images.....

Playing with filters

This is way too much fun....playing with filters.  Here I have used the Lighting Effects filter, various artistic filters and much to-ing and fro-ing between the various layers, much learning.  This is a pic I took in the Loire Valley several years ago now....of the Chateau d'Azay-le-rideau.  Built in the early 1500s it is considered to be one of the foremost examples of early Renaissance architecture.  For me?? Fodder for photoshop!!!

I'll be back. Can't seem to stop!  It's all good!

Playing with Light -- Market Day

I have been playing with the Lighting Effects filters.  Lots to learn here.  As Well!!  Oh my, this could keep me busy for a very long time to come!!

I am trying to choose where I want to place the emphasis in a photo, and then of course I can't resist adding  a few of my favourite filters and then a few masks. The idea of Where and Why one takes a photo is being thrown up into question now.  And also the idea of taking photos simply to use as texture.  SO much more to see now!  Fun!

Re-visiting Pears

A few years ago I took a lot, A LOT of photos of pears, garlic and other bits and pieces, on my shiny kitchen table.  Took a bit of bending and twisting so as not to get any table edges, or anything else for that matter, but the result was quite a lot of fairly acceptable photos that I am putting to good use, once again.  And I'm not up to much bending and twisting at the moment, so it's all good!

Still such a far way to go, and there are lots of things here I will change next time, but I am anxious to try again.  Already thinking about 'the next time,' and not feeling discouraged at all.  It is such a lot of fun!  Who knew!!??!!

I'll be back.

My kitchen table

Even though I am somewhat shackled to my kitchen table, it is nonetheless becoming a decidedly favourite spot to 'hang out.'  Still no word on a surgery date for my second hip so I expect we're into the fall now.  So, onward with the photoshop learning.....quite a lot of fun at the moment!

I have a shiny white kitchen table that creates the perfect surface for doing small photo shoots and since  I have taken quite a few pictures in the past, I now have plenty to choose from.  This is one that I played about a bit with this morning.  I'm glad I have so many photos to play with...makes the prospect of a few more months at my table quite acceptable!!  And so another day has slipped by and I am another day closer to my surgery date.  It's all good.

I'll be back.

Moving along with Photoshop

Bleary eyed, often frustrated, always amazed.  Pretty much constants at the moment.  But I can't seem to leave it alone.  Baby steps.

This first one is just me trying out many layers on a photo I took at a friend's place years ago.  Can't seem to figure out how to de-emphasize certain parts.  It'll come, I expect.  But I'm starting to get the hang of the layers process.

And this last one I call "Nana's spoons."  The top one and then the third and fourth ones from the top, were my grandmother's spoons.  They are worn down on one side from constant use: she used to make the most amazing Orange or Lemon Chiffon cake and I expect it was whipping the eggs that was one of the moves that would have contributed to the wearing down of the edges.  She would beat in time to her singing.  For her left hand she would sing "Onward Christian Soldiers" since the beat was a little slower that she was able to manage with her right hand.  I can't remember what song she beat along to with her right hand.  And now of course, there is no one left to ask.  And so it goes.  But I love the spoons, and the story, nonetheless.

Anyway, just trying out layers with some of my older pics.  It's fun.  I'm learning lots but it's slow going.  Posting them here as a reminder of the journey.  Thanks for your patience!!

I'll be back.

Oh deer!

I was out the other day, not particularly early, and two of these lovely creatures were just snacking at the buffet that is my neighbour's garden.  Footprints in my garden tell me they have been stopping by my garden again, and that is why there are no longer any tulips around in spring time (a favourite snack) and why there are no roses in anyone's front gardens.  Not to mention pretty much everything else that seems to be fodder for these hungry creatures, especially the young ones who will chomp on Everything!  They are, in fact, something of a problem in my neighbourhood (and elsewhere throughout the city).  Much heated debate re culling, etc. and ticks, lyme disease, car accidents, etc.  Difficult issues.  Early yesterday morning I was out in my car and there were four beautiful young bucks, with velvet-y antlers, grazing at the plantings beside the golf course.  What to do, what to do.....

This is a quick pic I snapped, because I always seem to have my iPad with me, and then I processed it in iColorama. His buddy had just stepped out of view.

Back soon.

Grain and grunge

I am working away on my learning curve in Lightroom and Photoshop, sometimes moving forward, sometimes Sysiphus-fashion, slipping backwards, starting again.  And again.  I am not hi-tech, that is for sure, and I am sometimes, no often, totally confounded by what is happening, or not happening, and trying to figure out what is going on....I am quite obsessed.  Round and round I go.  My head is very full!!

But I am discovering some things that I do like.  I like a grain-y quality to some of my pictures.  Sort of a grunge look.  Like this one.  And I am hoping that as I go along I will be able to add a more sophisticated look to my grunge (can those two thoughts even exist together???).  I am excited at the thought that as one learns more, one sees things that didn't seem evident at the outset. So this is a first-take, baby steps.  Starting somewhere.  Seeing nothing, feeling my way.

To this one, I have added layers of marks that I made on paper with water soluble graphite.  And grain.  And grunge.  Baby steps!

(Steph, this is one of the shots that I took when you kindly pulled over and let me take photos on the way to La Conner.  Thanks for your patience!!!)

I'll be back.

Photoshop and Who am I again?????

Apparently I am trying to drive myself totally nuts!  I have installed Lightroom and Photoshop and have embarked on the (oh my goodness) VERY LONG learning curve.  Oh well, I was wanting to keep myself busy as I await a surgery date for my second hip.  Now I suspect they could call me in a couple of years and I'd still have too much to do!

But I have messed about with one of my older pics, trying out a few backgrounds, some filters, moving things about (mostly my sanity it seems), etc. etc.  This is just me playing to see what the photos might look like on my blog.  Photoshop CC 2015 has removed the Save for Web option and replaced it with some other pathway that makes no sense to me, (well, at this point, not much does), so I'm not sure about the photo size, etc.  We'll see.  Hopefully you'll see too.

In the meantime, I'm still messing about with Susan Tuttle's class, classes with Phil Steele and with Sebastian Michaels.  Wouldn't do to be bored, now, would it?

I'll be back.

Susan Tuttle's most excellent class, the grunge lesson (sort of)

I am working my way, in my most obsessive way, through the lessons in Susan Tuttle's class Mobile Art Mastery.  Oh, such fun,  I am somewhat hampered by my lack of mobility and so for this particular lesson I didn't have the necessary bits and pieces to put together to make the final piece.   So as usual, I have used more pictures from one of my France trips and in fact split a sign in two (it originally read 'fin de la visite')!   But I sort of went for the feel of the piece and let it go at that.

I am not displeased but I am looking forward to getting some of the right 'urban grunge' elements and trying again.  But in the meantime, what fun!!!

I have put a link below to Susan's class.  She is a most excellent teacher and very generous with her knowledge.  Have a look.

http://susantuttlephotography.com/online-workshop-offering/

Susan Tuttle's iPad art course

I am still very busy working through the lessons in Susan Tuttle's iPad and iPhone art class.  Such fun.

This is from a pic I took when we drove around Holland four years ago.  Such a wonderful trip and all the photos I took on that trip are fodder for this course!

This second one is from our trip two years ago and the base photo is of Amour and Psyche and was taken at the Louvre.  I have used numerous filters and apps on both of them.  What fun it is to have such an absorbing pastime!

Still no word on my next hip surgery but the days are passing ever so quickly, which means that in spite of myself, the date is drawing closer!

I'll be back.

Messing around with Apps.

I wonder if it's a good or a bad thing that I didn't discover this earlier.  Oh my goodness, the time one can spend...

This one is a photo I took some time ago, played around with in Artist's Touch, Impresso and Mextures and PSE.  Oh my.  Such fun.

I have imported thousands of pictures into Photoshop Elements 14 in the last few days.  Quite a bit of organizing to be done!  Learning so much, which makes me very happy.

I'll be back.

And again!

I know, I don't post for months and now look!!  But it's this whole art on the iPad thing, it is such fun, and so portable.  I have been importing thousands of photos into Photoshop Elements.  Photos from our trip to France in 2012 that are all on my old computer, in another version of Elements. (It's all so frustrating, this being such a lo-tech type person, I don't know how to just move them over.)  But nonetheless, I am carrying on and re-loading them, relabeling them, etc etc.  But the best part is getting to revisit all my old photos, and to play with them in the (many) apps that I have on my iPad.  Yesterday I forgot to have dinner!  It's all good.

This is this morning's effort.  It's from the side of a house just along side the arena in Arles.  Oh my.

Are you getting bored yet???  I can't seem to stop.
I did remember to have breakfast!

I'll be back.  More photos to play with!

iPad fun

Still having fun playing with my iPad.  At my kitchen table.  And at restaurant tables when I take myself out for breakfast...it's so great because it's all so portable!  (I expect the iPhone is even more so but I haven't gone there yet.)

This one uses a piece of my rusted fabric as a background with one of my France photos blended on top.  What fun.

But oh, how obsessive...for quite a few nights I couldn't sleep, waking up ridiculously early to start playing with photos.  Thank goodness I didn't get a job in a chocolate tasting factory.,.I'd be early for work every day or maybe just move in with a sleeping bag, which I suspect after a while might be the only thing that fitted!  So the iPad is perfect!

I'll be back.

Life at the kitchen table

And so, I am still at my kitchen table.  One good hip (hurray!!) and one wonky hip.  I am getting around a lot better, driving, walking around the house without my sticks, etc.  Still waiting for a surgery date for the second one.  But I know that once it's done, I'll be good to go, literally.

In the meantime, I am still taking online classes.  This is a pic I created in a class with Susan Tuttle. A class that I am just loving.  It is a composite of about 5 pictures that I took on my trip to France in 2012. Plus several filters and effects thrown on as well.  Took quite a while but it is such fun.

And as I was looking for images, going through my own blog but several years back, I notice that many many of my travel pictures have been trashed and it's even impossible to tell what some of them are.  I suppose it's people stealing photos to use as their own (?). for whatever purpose, I don't know.  It's a bit frustrating, I must say.  Not sure what the solution might be....maybe size pictures impossibly small????  What to do?  And so I suppose that means that I'm offering up this one as well.  Sigh.  I feel so picky even worrying about it.  Can't decide if it's worth worrying about or not....sorry just rambling here.

Spending hours and hours playing with these pics and the process.  The windows are open, the birds are singing, I'm going to go and pick lettuce and herbs for my salad at lunch.  It's all good.

I'll be back.

One done, one to go

So, one hip operation done, one to go.  And I am so very happy to report that everyone was right!!!  A very successful surgery and recovery.  Yay!!!  It's been two months and I am so very pleased.   My guy looked after me and treated me like a princess....I am so spoiled.  He made everything very easy for me.  So lucky.

Now, it's just a wait for the next one.  I am still hampered by my second hip, but I cannot believe that it might be possible, after all these years, to finally go for a walk!!  And it's spring.  Still not at my sewing machine or my dye pots, but that will come in time.

In the meantime, I have escaped my kitchen table, or at least, I am only there when I want to be.  And lately, I have been playing again with my watercolours.  I have taken a couple of online courses, (it's what I do, right??), one with Jane Davenport and another with Danielle Donaldson.  Both excellent.  But the one with Danielle Donaldson seemed to have hit just the right chord with me, at just the right time.  Playing with colours and doing small pieces.  A few of them are in the pic above.

I'm off to play again today.

this first one is the link for the danielle donaldson class....just scroll down the list for her class info.

http://jeanneoliver.ning.com/

http://janedavenport.com/

Jacquard fabric painting and surgery dates

OK, tomorrow is my surgery date to have the first hip replaced.  Oh my goodness, such relief.  I haven't been doing much lately, which you probably know from my lack of posts, but I have been registered in several online classes!!

I have 'taken' a class with Jane Davies on printing with the gelatin plate and collage. 'Taken'  That means that I have watched the videos that accompany the class.  Now I am 'taking' Jane's class on Color Theory.  I am also enrolled in classes with Jane Davenport and they seem to be pretty good as well. I can sit at my kitchen table and draw, at least.  And I am 'taking' a class on linocutting with Dijanne Cevaal, also very interesting.

And then there is Netflix.

I have also taken, and been able to work on, the two classes offered by the Pixeladies.  And because I have Photoshop Elements loaded on my computer (which sits on the kitchen table), I have been able to get some work done.  But it's frustrating how feeling trapped, sore, (and yes, blue) can sap one's energy, which is why I have been so absent for so long. And when I upgraded to Elements 14, I managed to import all my picture categories, but I have had to go through all my (several thousand) photos again and reassign categories to them.  (I think I must have done something wrong during the importing....not much of a tech person, alas).

 Anyway, it's meant I've been reviewing a lot of things, which has been interesting.  The above photo is of a little picture I drew onto fabric some time ago and then painted with Jacquard fabric paints.  The paints were really old but still performed beautifully.  Then just a bit of heat setting and I was good to go. Unfortunately, the paints are at the back of the closet, tucked away, and the fabric is on the bolt.  And it all feels somewhat insurmountable, the idea of bending, stretching, pulling, etc. to get out more supplies.  Can't wait until I can get back to my 'normal' routines....so looking forward to a good walk!  But that will have to wait until I have the second hip done.  But hopefully by the end of this coming summer I'll be all fixed and contemplating some lovely walks.

And now, oh my gosh, a face!  I never draw faces....but the Jane Davenport class I am taking is all about Alice in Wonderland, and she has a face!!  So here is a first attempt...this is done with pencil crayons, a medium that I have no experience with, yet!  It's fun to take on something new.  Especially now when I am wanting to be distracted.  This particular class, Wonderland, emphasizes the use of watercolour, which is why I signed up, and the pencil crayon lesson is from her class 'Supplies Me' (yes, I signed up for that one as well!) but I am sort of doing it with and 'Alice' theme.  Multi-tasking, right???

Anyway, away I go to make sure I have everything in place for when I come home from the hospital...a two-night stay only.  Thankfully my guy is here to fill the 'caregiver' role and I am so very grateful.

So, I may be absent once again (thank you for hanging in there) but when I come back, it should be with renewed spirit, and certainly renewed joints!!! Yay!

Back, but maybe not too soon.  But I'll be back.

Lots of links below.  Check them out!!!

http://origidij.blogspot.com     www.janedavenport.com   www.janedaviesstudios.com

www.pixeladies.com