Lightening show

Yep I played STUPID tonight and got some great photos!

We had storm come through this evening, it was wicked! Fred and I sat outside and watched it come in and we both got a bit nervous when we kept seeing rotating clouds, Ekkkkkkk!

But it blew through and left us with 7/10ths of an inch of rain, YEA!!

After the rain stopped we had a beautiful lightening show off to the SouthWest and I decided to grab the camera and tripod! I was a bit lazy and had the Macro lens on the camera and didn't change it. So I wasn't sure what the photos would come out like, but I was pleased with them...

The lightening isn't the greatest in this one but I loved the blurry motion of the trees...

Michael and Fred both liked this one...
Fred isn't in to my photography but he does like it when I take photos of lightening. It's about the only time I get more than a grunt when I show him a photo....gotta love my un-artistic husband!!

Wow, the Raw POWER! ZAP!

This one was my favorite and I was jumping for joy when I captured it!!

Isn't it AWESOME!!

It's really luck when it comes to getting photos of lightening. You just hope when you press the shutter button or remote that lightening will light up the sky! I don't recommend you try this at home unless you like Kayaking with 11.5 ft, 800lb alligators, LMBO!!

Y'all have a GREAT weekend!!

Cheyanne's 1st Birthday Party ~ Digi Layout

Jen over at Jencropable.com has a freebie template this week and I had a wonderful idea for it....Yea ME!! My brain is working, lol...

I just love Templates...Thank you Jen!

~

I just knew Ms. Cheyanne would do it justice! She's such a sweetheart and loves hamming it up for the camera...

~

Jen has been having a Thursday freebie every week and I am so loving these templates lately...I haven't had a chance to work with last weeks but I know where it is in my files and hope to get to it soon...

~

Also I'm finding a few designers at other places that I am really enjoying their designs and one is Chrissy W at Elemental Scraps...

~

Thank you Ladies for your wonderful designs
~

Template designed by Jen at Jencropable.com

Its my day kit designed by ChrissyW at www.chrissywdigital.blogspot.com

Bead elements designed by ChrissyW - June Color Play at Elemental Scraps

Lesson12_Storyboards_ActingSilly

~

Our lesson today was learning how to create Storyboards using masks....I really loved the lesson and was excited and amazed at how easy it is to create a mask in PSE7...sheesh...

~

Below is the storyboard I created...

Then I decided to just go ahead and add it to a 12x12 layout...which was just finding the right background paper and adding the Storyboard to it....

Clown&Star designed by Kimberly Stewart,

Silly button designed by QueenofQuirk - kit called Songbird,

Paper designed by SHolt - ToySheriff kit.

GULP!!! 800lb Monster

Okay I'm going to think twice about kayaking and swimming at Coleto Lake Reservoir...

Sheesh.....

My sister in law, Barbara, sent me a photo this morning and then I found more photos on Victoria's Advocate site....

This is where we were swimming on July 4th!!

(see the tires and beach area in the background?)

But it looks like they dragged it in to this area to load it up on the truck...So where was the Monster?

The newspapers info wasn't much but here is the website...Click here

If I come up with more info I'll post it...I'd like to know exactly where it was found as Coleto is a HUGE reservoir....but I would like to know where it was hanging out. Hopefully not by the swimming area or where I fell off my Kayak either, lol...I also would like to know what it's length was too, just out of curiosity....I've really got the Willies now!!

Anyone want to go Kayaking with me?? LOL...

When they measured the gator on the beach it measured 11.5 ftIt was located between the boat dock and the swimming area. Lovely!!

A chuckle....

Forgetter Be Forgotten ?

My forgetter's getting better,

But my rememberer is broke

To you that may seem funny

But, to me, that is no joke

For when I'm 'here'

I'm wondering If I really should be 'there'

And, when I try to think it through,

I haven't got a prayer!

Oft times I walk into a room,

Say 'what am I here for?'

I wrack my brain, but all in vain!

A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away

Where it is safe, but, Gee!

The person it is safest from Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone,

Say 'Hi' and have a chat,

Then, when the person walks away I ask myself,

'who the hell was that?

Yes, my forgetter's getting better

While my rememberer is broke,

And it's driving me plumb crazy

And that isn't any joke.

CAN YOU RELATE???

I'd rather be fishing...

Wow it's late and here I am scrapping, listening to music and lost in my own little world...Yikes!

I was going through my photo files looking at photos and this is what I came up with....I like the template not sure I like the embellishments! I did find the perfect wordart for the photo of Johnny and Fred trying to catch the BIG one!! If you click on the layout it will bring up a larger version that you should be able to read...

We had a really great time that day and I was tickled to watch Michael on his first motorboat ride...he was grinning from ear to ear...

Template was designed by Yin designs

I used a fishing kit created by Theresa Kavouras

Jessica Sprague Lesson 11 - Selective Coloring

Todays lesson was on Selective Recoloring...Turning a photo to a neutral color...black&white, sepia, etc...and then giving your subject matter some of it's color back....lol did that make sense...I have a cat and a 5yr old hanging on me as I type this...Ekkkk....

Original Photo of a Blue Crab

Here is where I did selective coloring and only the crab has color

Then I continued to play with the photo and below was the finished product!
Word art was designed by Katie Pertiet.

Empty Nesters...

3 days ago the baby wrens started flying out of the nest...it was frustrating!

They were not flying very well and we had a heck of a time getting, Ralph, our barn cat to leave them alone...He spent a lot of time in a cage and was NOT a very HAPPY CAT!

There were only 2 babies left and yesterday they finally were flying well enough to leave with Mom and Dad so we are now empty nesters!

It's kind of sad as I didn't realize how much I looked forward to Daddy Wren singing and chirping each morning and evening, now it's quiet :o(

One of the Parents getting worked up as one of the babies had left the nest and was in one of my planters on the porch...and Ralph was NOT to far away either...

It's not a very clear photo but I loved how I got the Parent Wren framed in between the plants on the porch...gotta love his/her perch too, lol.

Feeding one of the babies...

Here's one of the baby wrens. He got a bit wet as I had to water the plants and I wasn't sure where he was at...He didn't like the water and popped right out to get away from the water, Oops!

Those were the last few photos I got...I didn't get too many as I basically wanted to leave them alone as much as possible...

I'm just thankful and glad that two of the babies made it!

Playing around...

I think I am finally getting the hang of digital scrapbooking and PSE 7...As I learn more techniques, I'm having more fun!

~

I've been having a few health issues with the ankle I twisted on Mothers day. So for the past couple of weeks I've been trying to stay off it and keep it elevated as much as possible...I've also been NOT working out at the gym and that is driving me absolutely crazy so to keep myself occupied I've been taking classes, doing tutorials and searching the web looking for ideas on using PSE 7 and digital scrapbooking...it's been fun and interesting. Thank goodness for Mom and Tuddy's laptop as that has made it possible for me to do this and keep the leg up, YEA!!

What is funny is my ankle is doing better and the swelling is down and been staying down and it's not hurting! I was excited thinking soon I can head back to the gym and then yesterday I dropped a can of soup on my foot and now it's back to square one...Sheesh! So here I sit with a foot that is black and blue and swelled up, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

~

I suppose maybe the good Lord just wants me to sit here and digi-scrap for a bit longer...

~

So here is what I worked on for the past few days!

~

If you click on these layouts you should be able to take a closer look if you want too....

~

The template was designed by ChrissyW at Elementalscraps.com

Liberty & USA word embellishments were designed by Shalae Tippetts at Scrapgirls.com

Paper and misc. embellishments were designed by Rina Kroes at Scrapbookelements.com

~

You know what is really fun???? Having 2 grandsons 1 day apart...

I can, in some instances, use the same layout for both, lol...is that cheating?

~

For Instance when we first went to visit them, one one day and the other the next day...I captured both of them with their first smiles!! YEA!!! Now how lucky is that???

Malachi and his first Big Grin!

J.J. and his First Smile!
~
I've got an update on the baby wrens but will post that tomorrow...it's that time of night, Yawn!!
~
Y'all have a good rest of your week and thanks for stopping by!

Jessica Sprague Lesson 10

~From Start to Finish~

Before Photo

Finished Project
Journaling mask designed by Jessica Sprague
Fonts used Adler and Porcelain
Textures are Brown Paper and Grunge #2

Jessica Sprague Lesson 9 - Edge Burn

~

~

Today's lesson was edge burning...which is a subtle effect that highlights the subject and darkens the edges by using adjustment layers in PhotoShop.

Wordart is from Elegantwordart.com

Swimming with Colby, Zac, and Sean

Today we had a playdate with Kelly and the boys....

I asked Sean if I could take a photo....

He is such a sweetheart and I love those blue eyes!

The new 007....

Colby and Michael hiding...

Ahhhhhh Ha Ha Ha....

Just gotta love the laughter...
Zac was playing camera shy today...I really tried to get a photo of him but he's pretty good at avoiding the camera!!

Thanks Kelly, Colby, Zac and Sean we had a terrific time!

Please excuse the quality of the photos too...I didn't have access to my harddrive and had to download these off the net, Yikes!! I need multiple USB ports, lol...

Hello Grammy....Did you Forget someone?

Jessica Sprague Lesson 8 - Type

Today's lesson was adding Type to your photo....

I never know what photo to work with on these lessons? Jessica used a beach photo for an example so I went with the same idea...

I also played around a bit more and Thanks to Jen I added one of her grunge mask/frames to it and I liked it....

You can check Jen's stuff out at Jencropable.com

Jessica Sprague and Lessons 4, 5, and 6

I had to play catch up with my Photo Editing: Frame-ups and Special Effects class at JessicaSprague.com, Ekkkk

Lesson 4 - Clipping Mask (In this case I added the photo to a blue frame)

(Wordart is from Elegantwordart.com)

Michael had his arms out and was pretending to either be a plane or a bird...lol.

Lesson 5 - Textures (I used the same photo above but turned it Black and White and then added a few textures to it)

Lesson 6 - TTV

"Through the Viewfinder". To get a worn, faded look, photographers will actually take photographs (often using a macro lens and a light blocking device) through the viewfinder of an old camera. The result is a photo with blackened edges, distortion, scuffs and scratches and marks. We used TTV photos and layered them and then worked our magic, lol...Take the class to find out more.....Below is my attempt!
I've been out of the Art/photography world to long this is all new to me....But I'm learning new things and leaving my comfort zone, Ekkkk!
I always liked playing in the DarkRoom so I suppose I can play around in PSE 7 too!

Indian Point...and Birds!

Most of you know I'll take whatever time I can to stop and get photos of birds...Since it was Michael and I and no one to moan and groan (no names mentioned) I decided to stop at Indian Point and get some more photos...Not to say Michael didn't moan and groan but he knows he isn't going to win so he makes the best of it, lol...Gotta love my boy

I did have my trying moments though and that was getting photos of the birds before someone chased them off, grrr...Michael has his ways of getting me back!

-

Below is a laughing Gull, just before Michael got to it, lol...

I am thinking someone has spoiled this brown Pelican as he flew right up to us and then circled a few times really close before flying off...He also looked as if he might have had his winds clipped at one time....

I'm outta here they didn't have any fish....ARGH!

Here's the little Blue Bird that chases off my photo subjects!!

He just keeps coming...

and coming towards me...

Ekkk....He really thinks he's bad...ha ha ha, ho ho ho...He's bad but Momma is the Baddest, lol...I can take away his Xbox, na na na...

Long Billed Curlew

Redish Egret, he was chasing fish and making us laugh with his antics!

Tri-colored Heron in the surf

And that Ladies and Gents was our mini-trip to Corpus!!

And still more photos from Corpus....

Am I boring you yet? I told you we packed a lot into a mini-trip.

I was so glad I got a hotel room for the night instead of trying to drive home as we were pretty well worn out...

The view from our room at night...

The next morning someone was enjoying themselves...Laying in bed watching Cartoons, sigh!!

His Majesty Michael!

We had breakfast and headed over to the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History...We had never been there and were pleasantly surprised the place is HUGE and they have so much to explore

Michael found the Shark!

The Hat Pin collection was huge and I thought the bird headdress was cool.

We took a tour of the replica ships that Columbus sailed to the New World on...These ships were built in 1983 in Spain and made tours around Europe and the United States before being brought to Corpus Christi...

The ship above was the Santa Maria

We were allowed to go on and explore the Pinta.

I can NOT even imagine crossing the Ocean in one of these ships!!!

No sir, No way, No HOW!!

The Mast of the Pinta...

They are working on the Santa Maria

The Deck of the Pinta...

After our tour of the ships we headed to the Children's play area...

Michael enjoyed himself..

He loved fishing...

And hanging around like a bat, lol...

Then he found the canon, yikes!!

It was a really nice Museum and very Kid friendly...

Leaving the Museum it was lunch time so we went and ate lunch and then headed home...but wait Mom had one more place she wanted to stop, lol...