FOTOFUN FOR IDF50

A  QUICK TUTORIAL RE COMBINING  IMAGES.

Take photo number 1 - background in this case

Take photo number 2 - subject

Trace around subject with magnetic tool Select all LAYERS, then cut image

Now take photo 1 and paste the cut image onto that photo or drag and drop.

I have deliberately left this rough around the edges but you would be more careful and refine it before cutting it. There are smoothing tools etc.

Clean up your image and manoeuvre subject into place.When satisfied click layers and select flatten image AND ……………………………Bobs your uncle

Finished picture

Before anyone shouts at me there are many ways to achieve the same result but I think this is the simplest. Working with layers can be complicated, well, I found it so for a very long time.

Give it a try. I am totally self taught and unable to understand instructions but, the more you play with a programme the more you learn,

Good Luck.

JJ

TODAYS FLOWERS 2

A bunch of tulips to brighten any home

A single tulip  beautiful in it’s own right.

The Photoshop treatment turns it into a beautiful pattern.

And here into a beautiful picture to hang on your wall.

So our bunch of tulips may die but their image is captured for ever.

Click on this link to see more of natures beauty.

http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

TODAY'S FLOWERS TEAM

LUIZ SANTILLI JR. - DENISE IN VIRGINIA - LAERTE PUPO - VALKYRIEN

GARDEN BIRDS

A couple of weeks ago I bought a bird feeder and Mike fixed it up on the deck right outside our sitting room windows,

It has been one of the best things I have ever bought.

Here are just some of the birds who visit -

BLUETIT

GREENFINCH

GREAT TIT

 

BLACKCAP

LONG-TAILED TIT

HOUSE SPARROW

ROBIN

WOOD PIGEON (OR AS PHE PHE CALLS THEM – PERCY PIDGE

CHIFF CHAFF

BLACKBIRD

BULL FINCH

NUT HATCH

AND THAT IS ONLY AFTER TWO WEEKS AND IT’S STILL FEBRUARY.

WHAT OTHER VISITORS WILL WE GET I WONDER.

PICTURES COURTESY OF RSPB -

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/

WHERE YOU CAN ALSO HEAR THEIR SONGS.

jj

Today’s Flowers

 

I thought I might change tack and start posting some of my flower photos.

 

Lilies – Love ‘em!

These were bought for  me and were perfect.

Perhaps you would like to see these in more detail?

 

Have you ever seen a more perfect pink?

My interpretation -

Hope you like the above – many. many more to come.

 

Click on this link to see more of natures beauty.

http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

TODAY'S FLOWERS TEAM

LUIZ SANTILLI JR. - DENISE IN VIRGINIA - LAERTE PUPO - VALKYRIEN

 

JJ

 

 

SUNDAY, SUNDAY

"Best laid plans" huh!

No school trip today so we were going to find tiles for the kitchen - well, that was the plan.

However ....................

After a hectic (for me) day yesterday

[quote]What did you do JJ?[/quote]

Funny you should ask, Up early for a Sunday to return number 2 grandson to his mum as number 1 grandson playing football ; left Mike behind to cheer him on which meant I had to drive Ooh err.

Right JJ adjust seat - check

  Adjust mirror - check

Adjust seatbelt - check

Adjust wing mirrors ...................................I know there's a knob (no rude jokes please) somewhere. O well, can see Ok if I stretch my neck and - off we go.

This is only the third time I have driven this car so it was nerve racking. Why do they put 2nd & 4th gear right next to each other? Instead of slowing down gently I virtually ground to a halt when negotiating roundabouts!

Home first to get the steak & kidney in the oven and make a chicken casserole for those who won't eat S & K (don’t know what they are missing).

After putting everything in the slow oven it’s off to the supermarket for a few things.

Right, where is reverse? Slowly up the drive onto the road - I DID IT!! Wow.

An hour later return home and get Mike his lunch and then prepare the veg for the evening and a nice fresh fruit salad.

Take the meat out of the oven - smells fab and make the cauliflower cheese.

Right, time for a break - where's my laptop?

4.30 - back to kitchen to make the pudding, all goes quite smoothly except too much boiling water in the saucepan - burn my fingers & drop the pudding into the pan. Great!

Heat the chicken casserole & put back in the slow oven then cook the veg. So far so good. Family turn up 10 minutes early & starving so skates on – get serving JJ.

Umm, remember that pan of boiling water? Yes, still boiling & still too full. Can I get the pudding basin out? Can I hell! After using 3 tea towels as well as the oven gloves and with very red finger tips I end up draining the water over the sink & praying it doesn’t go in the pudding.

               

A glass of red appears on the breakfast bar & disappears down my neck pronto.

Eventually dish up and watch the people I love enjoy their dinner. Think I enjoyed mine too but that bottle of Merlot was going down a treat.

So, that was yesterday– nothing much out of the ordinary you might think but for me & my depression the stress was just too much. Consequently, we did not go tile hunting today – I went for a nap at 2p.m.and I’m still in bed!!

Tomorrow??? That just might be the day we get our kitchen tiles ………………….. Or not, as the case might be.

JJ

THE YEAR OF THE TIGER 2010

A Happy Chinese New Year to You All

 

Just what is Chinese New Year? There's actually a lot more to it than lion dances and firecrackers, although these two pieces of tradition are integral and more visible, Chinese New Year to China is like Christmas to the West. In essence, Chinese New Year is spending time with family, gift giving and, the all important, food-fest.

While Americans, if  lucky may get Christmas Eve day and Christmas Day off, and Europeans may take a whole week holiday, Chinese New Year festivities officially last for fifteen days. Businesses and factories usually only take about one week off.

Characteristics of those born in the year of the tiger are -

• short tempered
• adventurous
• suspicious
• emotional
• sensitive
• risk takers

 

Famous Tigers:

Sun Yat Sen, Queen Elizabeth II, Emily Dickinson, Isadora Duncan, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Marilyn Monroe, Marco Polo, Beatrix Potter, Karl Marx, Ludwig van Beethoven

 

 

 

        Dragons and Fireworks feature heavily in the celebrations.

Dragons are mythical creatures.  But it is all right to believe in them, just as long as you don’t go out looking for them. It’s fun to dream about dragons because of all the amazing powers attributed to them!

Oriental dragons are associated with water.  They live underwater and in burrows inside of mountains. Some oriental dragons are born as fish. Oriental dragons spit water out of their mouths and are good, unlike their western counterparts, which are evil and breathe fire. They enjoy eating roasted swallows. They are nocturnal, so they only come out at night.  They represent power and excellence, valour, boldness, heroism, perseverance, nobility and divinity.  Dragons also represent sin in the Christian religion, and evil and destruction in old legends.

fireworks light up the sky with colourful lights on the Chinese New Year. Fireworks are burned to symbolise the end of the old year and welcome the new year. Fireworks represent many customs and traditions in China. .

Chinese Symbol for Happy New Year

新年快樂

PINK SATURDAY - Valentines Day ( Episode Two!)

Having jumped the gun  and posted this celebration day a week too early – what can I think of today?

Last week was all about my modern day designs so lets look at the history of Valentines Day and what was in vogue in years gone by.

Valentine’s Day first became associated with romantic  love in the days of Chaucer in the Middle Ages who wrote about LOVE BIRDS .

However, it was in Victorian times that  lovers embraced the day by expressing  their love for each other with flowers, chocolates and other gifts.

  Valentine cards were originally hand made and, in Victorian times were embellished with lace and ribbons

       

 

Today our cards are manufactured in huge numbers and cater for every need but, the beautiful old cards made with love and affection will always be the real thing.

Here is my computer made card for you all.

 

 

 

 

Now go and visit our hostess Beverley and see all the other Pinkies.

 

JJ