Happy happy happy, joy joy joy!

I love finding new Photoshop Actions that make photography life artsy fartsy, easier and faster! I was looking at some pictures on the web taken with a Holga 120N, and decided that I just couldn't stand the thought of going online and ordering it, waiting around for it to arrive, nor waiting for one hour processing once I had the roll of film used up.  Sooooooo, being totally ready to give the Holga look a try, I did some googling and found a fantastic Photoshop action.

 The Holga Simulator Action comes courtesy of Alberto Campione.  Here's a couple of photographs after I ran the action.

Once I ran the actions, I did a little tweaking.  I blurred the frame a tad using gaussian blur, brightened them up a bit, and then in the second and third images,  I used the lens blur filter and brought back a little more detail near the center of the picture.  If you use Photoshop, head over and download this action.  It's fun, and most of all it's FREE!

So now, do I go out and purchase a Holga and film, or do I continue to do it the easy way??????   Hmmmmmm, jury is out on this one.

Have a great day!

$;`)  Frances

PS -- Thank you Albert Campione for this fabulous action!

PSS
The Holga 120N is a very inexpensive camera btw!

Hiatus - over!

Ok -- I've got to come clean.   The photo-a-day venture I undertook just plain sucked the fun out of photography.  Maybe because I was limiting myself to using only one lens, maybe the gray yucky weather we had, or maybe it was just my poor little mind just couldn't take the pressure. 

So, the next time I come up with the urge to undertake a project like that, Rick has my permission to slap me on the back of my head and snap me back to reality!

Well, what did I do with my time??????   Can you say veggggggeedddd?????

Last month was a fun month of basketball! Rick and I went down to College Station to watch Texas A&M play (and beat!!!) the University of Texas.  Unfortunately, TAMU got knocked out of the championships yesterday by Purdue in OT.

Our friends Mike and Marcia invited us to fly with them to Bartlesville, Ok to watch the Midwestern State University men's basketball team win yet another game.  The Mustangs are in Massachusetts getting ready to play in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight on Wednesday.   We'd love to be there cheering the team on -- but alas, it's a tad bit far.  Luckily, KAUZ  TV will be airing the game -- so I'm sure there will be alot of folks glued to their TV sets this Wednesday!

Does anyone still have a horse in the NCAA finals???? I had Kansas winning the whole enchilada -- and it ain't happenin now!!!! I am somewhat comforted by the fact that I'm not the only one who had Kansas winning the tournament! Yep, misery loves company!

Looks like I'm back to rambling about uhhhhh - nothing!  Oh, it's good to be back!

Anyhoo, I took a total break from photography, and surfing the net for almost a month.  But -- I'm baaaccccckkkk! I hope to catch up on my blogger buddies and check out what they've been up to this past month!

This is a picture I took about a week ago of the birdhouse on the Country Club property right before a storm. I of course added layer upon layer of textures, plus used the ShadowHouse Creations bird brush.

Last thing! It's a freebie (if you use Photoshop CS or Elements). Check out OnOne's site for their free version download of PhotoFrame. It's a plug in that contains 20 edge and border effects. Hey, if it's free, it's me.

I think that's quite enough of my ramblings for one day! I hope you all have a great day!

;~D Frances

Elm Storyboard

Wow, it's another beautiful day in the neighborhood!  Grass -- still growing, not mowed!  Manana, manana!

Anyhooooo -- I love the storyboards on the CoffeeShop  blog -- soooo, I thought to myself, wonder what I can take pictures of today and slap into one of those wonderful storyboards??????  Light bulb on -- the elm tree out back!

Sooooooo -- I grabbed my camera and took a number of shots of the sun coming through the beautifully spotted, amber and green colored elm leaves.

I then decided on the CoffeShop's 20X10 5 pic storybaord and went to work.  If you haven't visited the CoffeeShop and you use either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements -- I highly suggest you cruise by because Rita's site is a wonderful resource!!!!!

I'm trying to become a little more domesticated and bake bread.  I tried making brochen yesterday -- they weren't bad -- but, not gonna win a blue ribbon at the fair either.  Today, I tried a different brochen recipe -- and they were a little bit better -- but still not round and puffy, more flat and sortof puffy.  I do believe I'm not getting the desired results due to lack of technique.

I found a great blog with videos on how to knead the bread -- so I think my next bread making venture will be this guy's recipe (we have about 20 rolls to eat before I attempt the next batch-o-bread, pooooooor Rick!)   Soooooo -- I'll report back in on bread making 101 after I try the next recipe!!!

Brochen is supposed to be round and lot puffier (sob).  Dropped one after the photo shoot, dogs gave the  Brochen a paws up (but they'll eat anything!!)!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

; ~ '}  Frances

Color

I can be a spaz about putting colors together.  I either like lots of color -- or very little color -- it just depends on my mood.  When trying to put a card template together -- I can get totally lost in "my vision" and have colors all over the map!  I recently came across a tremendous tool that I use  when I'm in a "lots of color" mood.

Its the Color Scheme Designer 3 application.  This dandy little tool makes selecting the right colors so much easier.  I highly recommend this site if you need help with color schemes in making card templates or even in your blog or web design.

Anyhoo -- it's time to get dinner started.

Have a great evening!

PS -- I'm in a "only a hint of color" mood today!

;~}  Frances

On the hunt!

I'm once again on the hunt to find more fabulous freebies.  This morning while at the Red Cross, I took another look-see at the CoffeeShop blog -- and noticed a link to the Pixel & Cream blog.  Well golly gee sarge!  I hit pay dirt again! 

Jennifer of Pixel & Cream has an eye for graphic design and color.  Annndddd -- she has a ton of freebies out there (brushes, paper, patterns, etc....) that you can download -- for FREE.  Remember -- if it's free, it's me!

I'm also a huge fan of Ree Drummond of The Pioneer Woman blog fame.  I used her tutorial on making rounded edges on Birdie's On the Hunt picture. I then added the Coffee Shop Polaroid Emulsion Kit to add an aged feel to the picture.  ***  Update --- duh, after I put this post out on the web -- I noticed that Rita at the CoffeeShop has a rounded corner action on her blog -- double duhhhhhh!

Check out these blogs (if you haven't already) for the fantastic work these ladies put out there for us design challenged folks! 

Have a splendid Monday

Saturday Storyboard

Man am I pumped!  I came across another wonderful blog by a really amazing Texas gal name Rita called Coffe Shop.  This gal is a woman after my own heart -- I mean let me count the ways!  One - she loves photography, Two - she loves Photoshop and Three - she puts her hard work out there for Free (oh there's a Four -- she's in the great state of Texas -- yee haw)!

 

I downloaded her CoffeeShop Storyboard 2V -- and gave it a whirl.  LOVE IT!  I shot these two pictures this morning out in my backyard.  I let the dogs out for one of their many potty breaks and noticed how the sun was making the dew drops sparkle -- so out came the camera.  Then as I was headed back in the house -- I looked down at the dog's water bowl (mental note -- clean the leaves out of their bowl) -- and noticed the reflection on the water -- so snap, snap, snap!

Rita's storyboard was perfect for combining my new photographs.  I hope you'll head on over to the Coffee Shop and check out her amazing blog!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love ya -- Frances

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ffonts, Ffonts, and more Ffonts!

I must thank Rod Harlan for posting this site on his Twitter page. I can honestly say that I'm not that well versed on Twittering -- and it's pretty much hit and miss when I sign in.

Knock on wood - I signed in to my twitter account today -- and saw where Rod has posted a site for 30 Free Fonts!!!! If you're anything like me -- you get tired of the old fonts -- and are always searching for new (free) fonts.

You can check out the fonts by Clicking Here. Would you like another site with lots and lots of free fonts? Then check out Font Squirrel! I'm sure you'll find a font to your liking!

Now -- if you are using Windows Vista -- here's a link on how to add new fonts (I seem to forget this one)!

Thanks Rod -- and don't forget -- always check the txt file or read me files -- for the legal terms associated with the font!

A gray day -- and a great photography blog!

It's another gray, damp day here in Wichita Falls, Texas. My neighbor Sally came by this morning to let me know that the city would be digging up my yard because evidently we have a ruptured pipe down there. It could be worse as they may end up digging up her driveway too!



Here's a photo (sorry it's blurry, it was taken through the dirty kitchen window that is screened) of the men at work -- digging up the yard. The dirt pile is getting taller as the hole is getting deeper. The dogs are totally enjoying it - as they have something to bark at (aaaaaaggghhhhhhhh)!

While trolling the web, I found a cool photography tip blog. The blog is Alexis Miller Photography Tips. She has tips, tutorials, freebies (hey, if it's free, it's me), fun projects and products you can purchase. I hope you'll take the time to check it out by Clicking Here


Well, back to work!

Have a great week (and pray for the sun to peek out just a little)!

Love ya!

Frances