Last-Minute Louie Here

I have just a few minutes to post my entry into Tim Holtz' tattered floral challenge--and, naturally, if iut weren't for the lasr minute, nothing would ever get done around here.

Here are my efforts:

First, I made some cloth paper--that is layering all kinds of tissue on top of fabric, sealing 'em all in with a mixture of PVA and water. This is a close up of one section. The sheet I made was about 11x17 inches.

When it dried (which took a loooong time--I cut a piece off and ran it through my Vagabond with the tattered floral die.

Here are the flowers, sort of assembled, waiting to be used. I planned to make a necklace, using some kumihmo braid I had made.

Here is the necklace. It still needs a clasp. but the deadline looms and I need to get this posted!

Here is a closeup of the assembled flowers. I added some stamens and bling from a floral stem from Michaels, which I took apart and used to hold the petals together and then wire them to the necklace.

Another view of the whole thing. I think it will be a lot of fun to wear, once I get those wires embedded a little better! And of course add a clasp. I am thinking a simple toggle will do the truck.

Until next time, Nan

Just Messin' Around

I took some on-line Photoshop classes last week, and was inspired to experiment a bit. Here are some of the results.

And they all began with these three pages from my Stencil Journal:

It's wonderful what blend modes can do!

Until next time, Nan

I'm Sorry, I've Been Sick

Well, since early January I have had this rotten, lingering cough--which has really sapped my energy. And I have so much to blog about, too! Which I will get to; I am still editing the pictures.

I did kinda think about the placement of the comma in the title; should I have said "I'm Sorry I've Been Sick?" Both are true. And if you know a good remedy for a lingering and miserable cough, let me know! (Went to the doctors twice, and they couldn't help--either of them....)

What I will eventually get posted are the pictures and thoughts about our 50th anniversary, which we celebrated on the 29th and 30th of December, 2012. I was in the throes of editing the pictures from our fabulous dinner at the HerbFarm Restaurant (thank, you my lovely children) and a party we threw ourselves so we could celebrate with friends and family (thank you again, lovely children, for your hard work getting that going). But for now, I will try to ease the anguish of having to wait by posting a few of the digital art things I have been able to manage between and during coughing fits. (Bless, you, Fisherman's Friend and Ricola!)

This "Art Doll" was made using pages from my Stencil Art Journal and images from some of Beth Rimmer's kits for Digital Scrap.

Another "Art Doll" made from Digital Scrap kits. These include, but are not limited to, kits from Beth Rimmer, Mr Whiskers, Marta Van Eck, and Rucola Designs.

Both Art Doll heads are heavily Photoshopped.

This is an Artist Trading Card I made using kits from Creative Visions at Scrapbookgraphics and Out of the Box Design Studio from Deviant Scrap.

A birthday card I made for my friend Christina. The inside said "You're My Cup of Tea." The elements came from kits from Out of the Box Design Studio and Hidden Vintage Studio over at Deviant Scrap. Hmmmm. Maybe a link to their site would be in order. would you believe it's  http://deviantscrap.com/ ?

Another ATC. This was my "New Year's Resolution" card. The images are from Out of the Box Design Studio, and I forget who else, from Deviant Scrap. Maybe Rucola Designs, Holliewood, and Beth Rimmer...Sieve Brain Strikes again!

Yet another ATC. This one uses elements from Out of the Box Design Studio, Beth Rimmer, and Hidden Vintage Studio. Guess where you can find these kits? Oh, you peeked! Yes, it's Deviant Scrap.

Most of the above--and more--are posted on Deviant Art. Here's the link to my gallery page: http://nanner2.deviantart.com/gallery/  Most of my digital art is pretty quirky, so Deviant Art seemed like a good place to put it.

That's all for now! Hope your year is going well!

Nan

Some Fun Because the World Didn't End

Well, I didn't really expect it to. After all, there is still that Cliffageddon the Congress is all in a wad about, and the raising of the Debt Ceiling is coming. The New Year is going to bring a lot of interesting times with it. And we have to live in them....sigh.

So to cheer myself up, I got loose in Photoshop (my favorite toy) and played with gradients and blending modes on a piece of digital paper I found in my Rucola Designs stash, and another from Tangie Baxter, And one from Tumblefish Studios. They are similar, but I think they will be quite useful in my digital art.

Cheerfully suitable for the World Not Ending, don't you think?

Until next time--Nan

Golly! Almost forgot!

With the End of the World coming tomorrow, I suddenly realized that I had better get my last words out FAST!

Looking back over the year, especially the political year, I find myself almost wishing the world WOULD end tomorrow. Almost...

REASON #1: I was glad the President was re-elected, but I am not happy about the possibility of making my Social Security amount  less and less as I grow older and need it more. I called my two Senators (both hard-working, progressive ladies) and told them to fight any of that nonsense--especially as Social Security is self-financed and has NOTHING to do with our debt/deficit. It took me two days to reach a quavering volunteer at the White House; I am supposing that many callers who expressed their opinions on the Social Security subject were less than polite. I was VERY polite. I didn't bother with my current Representative, as he votes in lock-step with his party, and it wouldn't matter WHAT I told him. I am really glad that after redistricting, I got a new, and more progressive Congressman.

REASON #2: I was--and am--appalled that two billion dollars was spent just on electing a President; I keep thinking of how many hungry that would feed, how many homeless that would house, and how many sick could be healed.

REASON #3: No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get organized enough....my Poltergeist still hides things, and no matter how hard or where I look, it keeps them hidden until the immediate need for the thing has passed and I have either A. Replaced It or B. Given Up and Gone On To Another Project.

Reason #4: I have been biting my tongue (well, figuratively, anyhow) about the Government (That's US, Folks! Remember, "We, the People"?) until I am blue in the face. To mix a metaphor. Don't get me started.

Oh, heck! After tomorrow, who will care?

So--I am sending y'all my Holiday Greetings, just in case we don't get to the Holidays (aside from Hannukka--those clever Jews got their winter holiday outta the way in time). And a Happy Solstice!

And I'll see you Next Year, of course!  Nan, who used images from Deviant Scrap (at https://www.deviantscrap.com ) to make this card

My Mother and Telemarketers

My Mother, Anne Hawkins, was a demon when it came to telemarketers. Here are some of my favorites.

Anne Hawkins in 1943

Mama and the Sears Card Telemarketer: or, why they have a script now

mama: Hello?
tm: Hello, may I speak to David Hawkins?
mama: I'm sorry, he isn't available. Can I help you?
tm: Are you his wife?
mama: Yes.
tm: Well, Mrs. Hawkins, we would like to offer him a Sears credit card. Perhaps you can tell us what he does, and what his income is?
mama: I'm sorry, I haven't the slightest idea.
tm: You don't know what he does or his income?
mama: No.
tm: I don't understand. You really mean that you really have no idea what your husband does or how much he earns?
mama: Not the slightest. He's been dead for four years.
tm: Oh. (after a moment of silence) Well, what do you do?
mama: I am the last of the lilies of the field; I toil not, neither do I spin. (hangs up)

Three days later the Sears card arrived in the mailbox. Made out for Mrs. David Hawkins

Mama and the Burial Plot Salesman

mama: Hello?
tm: Hello, is this Anne Hawkins?
mama: Yes.
tm: I represent XXX Cemetery. We are offering a special price on burial plots. These are prepaid plots, so that when the need arises, there will be no cost for a plot.
mama: I appreciate the offer, but I don't think so.
rm: Mrs. Hawkins, this is a great opportunity to reserve your burial plot, so your loved ones will one less thing to deal with when you pass on.
mama: Well, you see, I don't think you really want to bury me, because of my religion.
tm: Oh, we take care of all religions.
mama: Mmmhmmm...but aren't your graves six feet long and three feet wide, and three or four feet deep like all the others?
tm: yes...
mama: Well, you see, because I am a Vertical Buddhist  I should be buried standing up, in a grave that is three feet wide and six feet deep. (hangs up).

Anne Hawkins in 1985

Mama and the Carpet Salesman

mama: Hello?
tm: Good morning! I'd like to tell you about a wonderful special we have going right now. We are the ZYX Carpet Company, and we would like to offer you an unbelievable deal on wall to wall carpets for your new home.
mama: I'm sorry, but we don't have wall to wall floors. (hangs up)

Mama and the Magazine Salesman (who came to the door)

sm: Madam, I have a wonderful selection of national magazines for half the newsstand price. Would you be interested in, say, The Ladies Home Journal, or McCall"s?
mama: (gently closing door) I'm sorry, but I don't speak English.

The poor man was halfway down the drive before he realized what had just happened.

That's all until next time--Nan

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm looking forward to spending the part of the day at the home of my son Jeremy's sister- and brother-in-law, Karen and Raja Aburri. It is great fun to be with this really global extended family; if you look around, you can see so many different ethnicities--it is wonderful! And the dinner is potluck, so you can believe that the food for the traditional feast is truly awesome! I hope your Thanksgiving will be a wonderful as I know mine is going to be.

Yesterday and Monday I was taking classes at creativelive.com from the redoubtable Lesa Snider, an expert in Photoshop. Her web site is http://photolesa.com/  The Monday class was on Bridge, Adobe's image (and other file) organizer. What a revelation that class was! And if you are not familiar with Creative Live, it is an online classroom which hosts awesome teachers in various graphic fields, and the classes are free! If, like me, your head starts to explode by the end of the first half hour, you can buy the class vids, which you can either watch on their site, or download, or either--or both, come to that! I have not regretted any of my class purchases  either!

Yesterday's class had me fascinated from the very beginning--but I was interrupted when my husband called on his cell phone for help--and he truly needed it. He was pretty well unresponsive, so over his protests I called 911. The EMTs took him off to the hospital, where he was kept overnight for observation. Turns out he was dehydrated--a thing that happens to us seniors all too often, because we apparently don't feel thirsty like we used to. So any of you seniors out there, take heed! Keep drinking that water, even if you aren't prompted by thirst! Anyhow, needless to say, my class time was cut off after the first hour! Luckily, Creative Live does a rewatch, so I was able to get some of the information on Blending Modes in Photoshop, and even played with them a bit before I went to bed.

Here are some of the results:

I used various free textures downloaded from folks like Lost and Taken, Valleys in the Vinyl, and Shadowhouse, as well as photos I took myself.

Maybe you can see how the layers changed as I tried different blend modes--most of them have a different blend mode on each layer.

For most of them, I only used blend modes; but for one or two, I did use level adjustments and some filters.

And on one or two I used Invert and some color adjustments with the Hue/Saturation slider.

All in all, there are 35 iterations so far.

Some of them are pretty similar.

And some are radically different.

An otherworldly portrait.

I did have fun! Lesa suggests accompanying this kind of experimenting with a beverage of choice--and come to think of it, that would have been a good idea! But I missed the martini truck, darn it!

I can't wait to try some of these as backgrounds for ATCs!

This one has a transparent background.

Another look for the portrait.

Fun with Blend Modes and Filters!

Well, that's probably enough for now!

Happy Thanksgiving, Nan