Karen's Muse and Musings

Lovely Day

So, I've had the loveliest day completing a course for my real estate license CE requirements. The course was Construction Details and Trends, and it was absolutely fascinating. Can you say sarcasm? I knew you could.

Now that's behind me, and it's on to more fun endeavors. I am joining a knit along sponsored by Joyce of Elliebelly. It's called the Elliebelly Knit-n-Telly. (I don't care how look at it, that's a much better name than Construction Details and Trends!) Click here for more info on the knit along. Here is the gorgeous Elliebelly yarn I'm using.

I am going to knit some soakers for my sweet grandson Patrick, almost 5 months old now. I don't usually post much about my knitting, but I will post photos as I go along. Here is a beautiful photo of Patrick and his mommy, Dana, taken recently at the beach.

This is my 399th post! In my next post, I will celebrate reaching 400 posts by giving something away. Come back!

Father's Day Spread

Yes, I know Father's Day was last weekend, but I just finished this spread for the Holidays Altered Book round robin. This month I have Jo Ann Grissom's book, and I asked her if she had any vintage photos of her father I could use to make it more personal for her. The timing was perfect because she had just come across some old photos she had never seen before.

It was fun to work with a masculine theme for a change, and it gave me a chance to use some of those Tim Holtz supplies I've been hoarding, like the filmstrip ribbon below.

For some reason these layouts and colors remind me of my grandfather. He was a mechanic and an avid photographer. I remember going into his darkroom when I was little; everything in there was in these colors. I have an old camera that he actually built, and I'm thinking of taking it to the Antiques Roadshow. (Warren and I have tickets in August.) I know it won't be of any great value except to me and the rest of my family, but I'm always seeing a lot of interest in American handmade items on the show, so it might be interesting to see what they have to say about it.

Every Inchie Monday — Peace

I thought long and hard on this topic until finally I settled on the place I am most relaxed and at peace — the beach on St. George Island. Be sure to check out the other entries at Every Inchie Monday.

Sunday Postcard Art — Dance

It's time to dance at Sunday Postcard Art! Deciding to go digital with my postcard art this week, I chose one of the flower girls from stepdaughter Maggie's wedding as my subject. I worked in Photoshop CS4, using a combination of the artistic and brush strokes filters.

So It's Spring?

March is going out like a lion. I don't know what happened to the lamb. Although my town of Marietta is in full bloom, it just doesn't feel much like spring. It was downright windy and chilly today when I went out for my walk. However, that doesn't seem to affect the dogwoods, and I took a photo of a single blossom on my phone. Phone photos leave a lot to be desired, so I played around with it in Photoshop. I like the results. Now if only I could Photoshop the weather to my liking!

Photoshopping Grandchildren

Today I've been playing around with photos of our grandchildren in Photoshop.

Kathleen, 26 months

 

Leighton, 4 months

 

Bobby, 2-1/2 years

 

And this is our newest, Patrick. He was 8 days old yesterday when this photo was taken.

 

One more photo of Bobby. I love this expression on his face.

I was playing with the edges of the photos. Years ago I bought Auto FX Software's Photographic Edges, but that version no longer works with my latest Mac or with Photoshop CS4. So I was looking for a way to get interesting edges without spending any money on software. I found this cool tutorial here.

Every Inchie Monday

Frolic!

Another digital inchie this week. The little girl is one of the flowergirls that was in stepdaughter Maggie's wedding a few years ago. The photographer captured some great shots of the girls twirling and dancing just before the wedding. I worked in Photoshop, "cutting" out the girl, placing her on my background I created by using a Photoshop brush in blue over the green background. Added the word frolic in the font Zapfino, and I was done!

The Best Valentine Ever!

I now know that I have the most wonderful husband in the world. In the past, I had thought it might be the case, but I wasn't sure. Now I am. Yesterday morning — Valentine's Day — he surprised me with two beautifully wrapped packages. Very surprised since I thought we were only exchanging cards. I opened the smaller of the two gifts, and it was a book of poems, The 100 Best Poems of All Time, edited by Leslie Pockell. Inside he had placed a bookmark beside "How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Thinking that was very sweet and romantic, I opened the second gift. This was a beautifully framed photograph of the poem. At first I thought he had purchased a print and had it framed. Imagine my delight upon discovering that he had done it himself! I discovered that after he bought the book, he waited until I was asleep one night and then photographed the poem in the book. He positioned his wedding band, standing up, in the middle of the pages, then he arranged the lighting so the ring created a heart-shaped shadow.

Here it is — the best Valentine ever!

HOW do I love thee? Let me count the ways.   
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height   
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight   
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.   
I love thee to the level of everyday’s           
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.   
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;   
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.   
I love thee with the passion put to use   
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.           
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose   
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

Another Monday, Another Inchie!

Mirthful!

I cannot recall seeing a more mirthful face than that of my grandson, Bobby, when he was in a swing at the playground for the first time. Just love those 2 tiny teeth!

I love autumn!

I prefer the word autumn to fall. It's just a lovelier word. Each year I look for pretty leaves that have fallen on the ground. (Slows the pace of my walk down since I keep stopping to turn over promising-looking leaves!) I bring them home and scan them so I'll have them forever. I found the two beauties above lying on the street a couple of days ago. I've done this since 2001, I believe. A few years ago, I printed some of these out on fabric and made a quilt. I gave it to my sister. I'm thinking I need to make another just for me!

Warren and I took a little shopping trip to Home Depot today. I have these jack-o-lantern luminaries on our front porch.

Each year I put little tea lights in the luminaries and worry about the trick or treaters catching their costumes on fire as they walk up the steps. So while at Home Depot we bought some of those little battery-operated flameless tealights. We get home, I start opening the packages and dropping them into the luminaries, and I accidentally drop one. There's a very small chipmunk hole next to the steps, and wouldn't you know it? It falls right into that hole! Warren had to dig it out for me. What a good husband!

Here's a recent photo of my 2-year-old grandson Bobby taken by his mom. Isn't that expression priceless?