From the Yard

First bloom from our Hibiscus plant...

Photo Art Friday

This week our challenge is "negative" space...or of course any piece of photo art you'd like to share this week.

This is a photo I took back in the later part of winter.  Since here in Las Vegas, our winters are pretty short (some would say we don't really have a winter).  I was really surprised of how early the Yochino Cherry trees were already blooming.  There was a whole row of them.

I used Bonnie's free texture "Mother Love" on blending mode Overlay at approximately 87% erasing some of the texture off the flowers and a little bit off the leaves.  Then I did a little bit of a Cross Processing on it.

If you'd like more information on you can participate in Photo Art Friday, click here.

Wishing all a fabulous weekend and a "Happy Father's Day".

Capture Life!

Texture Tuesday - The Felicity eDition

This week our challenge was to use Kim Klassen's free texture "Felicity".

Our weather, here in Las Vegas, has been so mild for a winter, that some of the trees are already blooming such beautiful flowers.  On my way to taking my son to school, I pass a park that is lined with these trees, (Yoshino Cherry trees).

I first softened the photo and added a chocolate brown filter at 52%, then I added the texture "felicity" Screen mode at about 85%, erased over the flowers at the opacity of 35%.  Then I added the quote.

If you're interested in Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen, then click on the button below.

                                                                       Capture Life!

Photo Art Friday

I'm only a day late at posting and joining this wonderful challenge.  I'm just sorry that I haven't had time to practice "masking" for this week, but hopefully this coming week I'll find more time to play.

Here is my submission for this weeks challenge, you are able to submit a piece of your photo art of your choice...

Run mouse over to see original photo

I've been learning a new technique "painter".  I've only been practicing using this method for about a week now (have so much to learn) but I think this looks pretty good considering.  I so need to purchase a Wacom...sigh.  It's really hard with a mouse, but then I've never used one of those tablets either.

If you would like to know more about Photo Art Friday click on the button below.






Come join the fun!

Capture Life!

It's that time again...

Photo Art Friday

at

Pixel Dust Photo Art 

I used Bonnie's free texture she offered Medival Magic twice; once blending mode Overlay 100% and second time Soft Light at about 86%.  

Be sure to check out the other fabulous photo art at Pixel Dust Photo Art...you'll be glad you did.  Also if you're interested in joining in on the fun, you'll be able to find all the information there as well.

Ciao!  

Addicted to Textures

Are you as addicted to adding textures to your photos as I am!  Wow...I look at some of my older photos that I've edited and sometimes think..."they look naked"...lol.  I still love photos without textures and any actions as well.  Speaking of "actions" another addiction I just started...sigh.  Unfortunately, I don't have Photoshop, but I do have GIMP and there are a few for that program, but I'm still learning how to apply them...more on that later.

Anyway over at Pixel Dust Photo Art, Bonnie, has offered not one but two Free textures...yes FREE.  She's asked us to be her testers to see who they work.  So here is what I came up with using her textures "Fleeting Memory" and "Silent Memory".

Be sure to click on photo to see all the details.

I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  What do you think?  The formula I used was desaturated the original added Fleeting Memory blending mode Multiply at 94%, then Silent Memory blending mode Overlay at 59%.

Check out Bonnie's blog to see her amazing work and free textures she offers.

It's the little things....eDition Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesdays

So many different ideas had really gone through my head for this weeks challenge.  I had missed last weeks challenge for I was on vacation.  It was fabulous getting out of this heat in to much cooler weather.  Anyway, a lot of my picture taking ideas had to be put on the shelf because we had two craft shows to get ready for and I was a bit busy when I got back home.

So this is the photo I chose for this weeks challenge....

So my thinking for using this shot was...when taking photos of flowers, sometimes we forget to shoot the sweet little bulbs...before they bloom.

I used Kim Klassen's "Scripted Edges" on Screen mode 100% and added it again at 86%.

If your interested in Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday click on the box below...and be sure to check out all the other fabulous photos as well.

Keeping cool in the grass

Every morning after I grab my cup of coffee (a must), my dog wants to go outside.  Since I live in the desert, this time of year, it's a wee warm in the mornings.  Our backyard faces east, so we get the morning sun, anyway I head out with my coffee and see that one of the Hibiscus flower hasn't quit opened up all the way and decided to take a picture.  I have so many pictures of them opened all the way.

 

Then as I looked around our Rose of Sharon bush had some blooms on it and decided to take a few pictures of that one as well.  This bush is right outside my kitchen window, so I love it when there's blooms on it.

I was about to head back inside when I noticed my dog lying in the shade on the grass.  I went over and sat down and casually took a few pictures.  As you'll see he's pretending to be asleep and then well I think he's getting annoyed with me in the second photo.

 

He has days where he likes to have his pictures taken and then days he just doesn't want to be bothered.

Just listed....

Ametista's Dark Home Decor presents...

Spring time with a bit of a twist.

Click on images to see more photos.

Head on over to see more of our Spring apothecary collection

at Ametista Dark Decor.

Clay Shoppe Customers being featured.....

Calling all "The Clay Shoppe" customers....

We would love to feature your fabulous art that was created from one of our molds. All you have to do is convo us at The Clay Shoppe with a picture and we'll feature you on our Ametista and Calkat blogs.

Marina of Meridian Studio commissioned us to create a custom mold of a specific flower. So we made her a hand carved mold and look what she did with it!

Thanks Marina for sharing.