Project 64

This week Project 64 is looking for Asparagus
I think this is a pine but I can’t find the name of it. These are the young new leaves, the older ones have tall brown candles on. Does anyone know it’s name?

This fern grows in a shady spot in my garden, It is huge this year. Another one I can’t identify.

I was playing with some props and a mirror, so although it’s not the freshest lime in the dish I quite liked the shot I got. I put an overlay on and just brushed over the skin of the fruit for this weeks challenge.

This is pyracantha, just in bud.

There are some beautiful Asparagus green photo’s over here this week

Texture Tuesday

I am linking to Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday again this week. Kim has asked us to use her texture called Yesteryear. It will be fabulous to see what everyone does with the same texture. I think this is a really interesting idea. A bit like all scrapping with the same LO or set of papers. I just love playing with photoshop and textures, did I mention that last week and the week before?

The hyacinth and oval white mirror just said Yesteryear to me.
Two layers of Yesteryear at soft light and one at 35% opacity and of course a little reveal with the soft round brush

Some pictures from our afternoon at the farm. There was a lovely old barn stuffed full of great things to look at through my lens. I thought at the time they would be good to add some of Kim’s wonderful textures to.

This has two layers of Kim’s yesteryear texture, one at soft light blending mode and the other at normal but with the opacity set to 40%. I brushed the metalwork with a soft round brush.

Buttercups
2 layers of Kim’s Yesteryear texture both at soft light and February magic edges

I loved the sun streaming through a gap in the side of the shed lighting up these dusty old flagons. Here they are SOOC

I like to see your before and after textures and to know how your blending modes are set so I have included mine here.

Here they are with a little of Kim’s Believe and Yesteryear textures.
I started with the base layer set at screen blending mode.
Believe at soft light. Believe at soft light and 50% opacity. Yesteryear at normal and 30% opacity. Vintage overlay at soft light and 40% opacity.

The base layer again set at screen blending mode, then one layer of Believe at soft light and 50% opacity and one layer of Yesteryear at soft light and 56% opacity.

The base layer again set at screen blending mode then Believe at soft light, Believe again at soft light and 50% opacity and then Yesteryear at normal and 50% opacity and again yesteryear at soft light 56% opacity. Vintage overlay is set at soft light and 50% opacity.

If you have a moment have a look over here to see some beautiful photo’s using Kim Klassen’s textures.

Inspired by Amy

I couldn’t resist Amy’s challenge
Scrap a page about something that’s happened this week. Content not important, just do it.
Then she said, blogging is scrapbooking anyway.
Is it too dramatic to say I had an epiphany? Well I kind of did. I have been wanting to put a digital page (other than my Project 365) together for ages but something always stops me. I ‘just blog’ so why not ‘just scrapbook, digitally’
To quote Helena ‘Amy made me do it’

I did two more but I’ll save them ’til later in the week. I am a bit nervous about them. You see, hard as I try (and I really love Shimelle), I am not happy with digital patterned paper…yet.

Journaling reads;
Sarah came to do my nails today. She has been coming to me every three weeks for a couple of years now.
It is my treat, well, nails and hair really, with the odd pedicure thrown in for a
change.
Anyway, back to the nails.
This should be titled or is it entitled? Someone will correct me no doubt, Miriam
Procrastinates Yet Again, but that’s not very sexy is it?

Sara was setting up and left her nail colour samples on the table.
She usually keeps them in her box because for 2 years I have had a French manicure and for the last 12 months I have had nail art as well.
Gosh, now that could have been another layout with the same title!

Honestly you would think it was a life decision.
• It is my nails
• It will last for three whole weeks
• Then it gets changed.

So there we are, Sara is telling me all about her ‘Royal Wedding Day’ and I am looking at the colour samples.
“Fancy a change then?” smiles Sarah.
“No, just looking” I said lamely.
“Oh go on, go mad, you’ll love it!” Sarah enthuses.
“That’s easy for you to say. A change means that I will have to make a decision and I still haven’t chosen the nail art that you gave me when you sat down 15 minutes ago” I wailed.
“Which one are you drawn to?” said Sarah.
”These darker, kind of red or purple colours, but not red or pink” I said with a little more enthusiasm than I actually had.
”Let’s find something that looks good with your skin tone, how about these?” Sara offered half a dozen sample colours.
“Just three please, I’ll think about three.” I said positively.

And that’s how it stayed for 75 minutes while she prepared my nails for a new colour. I stared at number 206, 92 and 2018 until she said “times up, choose!”

I choose (with her help) number 2018 Passionate Plum.

Now if I had known its name, I would have got there earlier….I think

New Boots

Journaling reads;
I had some new tyres on my car recently.
I just took it to the tyre place that does such things a bit sharpish and asked the guy to change some or all, whatever is necessary.

They changed three tyres.

I thanked them, paid and came home

A few weeks later my MOT and Service was due.
My husband booked my car into the main dealer. A husband needs to be sure his wife is safe.

This is a much posher place, they give you appointment times, a phone call to let you know when to collect, coffee and biscuits but not lunch so I came home for that.

Much, much later that day (they forgot to call me), just as they were closing the gates, we collected the car, thanked them, paid (nearly chocked on the bill) and went home.

When we looked at the service sheet we discovered that the car had passed its MOT with no problems, but with two advisories:
The wiper blades will need changing soon
The front ns tyre is not as good as the others. It has 6mm of tread, 1.6mm is the legal limit.

Now that is why you go to professionals!

You are safe in the knowledge that they can spot the bl****ng obvious.

Amy’s challenge is here

Lo’s based on one by Chrissy W at 2p’s

Scavenger Hunt Sunday 22nd May


I am linking up with Scavenger Hunt Sunday again.

This week we are looking for our interpretations of

My Passion
The sound of music
Inner beauty
Ethereal
Sharp

My Passion
My new lens is my passion
My boys were surprised (dissapointed) it wasn’t them and they were surprised it wasn’t my dog! No, it is my new 50mm lens.

The Sound of Music
I love the sound of the wind chimes in the garden

Inner Beauty

I had lots of ideas for this but I decided on a literal interpretation, the inside of the Queen Conch shell is so beautiful.

Ethereal

This is what came straight into my mind when I read this weeks challenge. No matter how hard I looked for an alternative nothing pleased me as much as this.

Sharp
I couldn’t choose between these two, my Pyracantha with needles sharp enough to make you cry if they catch you,

or my wine, a new (to me) Pinot, sharp and fresh and gorgeous!

Have a look over here for some wonderful interpretations of this weeks Scavenger Hunt.

May Currents

May Currents

listening: The sparrows chattering in the ivy outside my window

eating: Nothing, waiting for breakfast.

drinking: Water

wearing: Gorgeous new nightie

feeling: Upbeat

weather: Not so good, we have had huge winds and overcast skies but this morning is bright and dry

wanting: It to be the weekend because by then my car will have had it’s MOT, Lotta will have finished her exam and Ben will have done his motorbike test!

thinking: About the surprise we have planned for Paul’s birthday

enjoying: The lighter mornings and evenings and the promise of a summer? I live in hope…

wondering:. If we could have a holiday?

Since last time

at home: Lotta visited again this month. She took a weekend off her revision; it was so lovely to see her. We went out for a meal at a lovely Italian restaurant, last minute decisions are sometimes the best! I had tea with Marcella at the quarry in town, we chatted ‘for England” it was good to see her. Ben has his longed for motorbike, until the test all he can do is polish it! Paul’s work is much the same, daily frustrations of dealing across three continents but they have extended the contract until the end of May.

Favourite Photo
I have so many this month, but I really love the solar lamp I bought for the garden. I took the picture at ten o’clock at night with my 50mm lens. I am constantly amazed by it!

at work: Much the same although the last week was easier as I had built in some time for paperwork. Next week will be the same as I am on leave the following week so left some visit free time to catch up. Last weekend we went to a fabulous art exhibition about the brain and dementia. I think I’ll make a page about it, insufficient room here!

Been anywhere nice this month? We went to see Kate Rusby at the Playhouse. We both enjoyed the evening, Paul more than me I think. Kate has a beautiful voice but I couldn’t hear what she was singing about which made it a bit difficult as she is a folk singer and her songs are stories! I was at the playhouse again the same week, this time with the girls from work. We saw Abba Forever. Although I love the Abba songs I didn’t like this band. I enjoyed the evening out with the girls though!
Paul & I had a gorgeous afternoon at Court Farm we went with the sole intention of taking photographs.
I can’t wait for another photographic outing.

Plans? Paul & I are going to see Ladysmith Black Mambasa in Cheltenham next weekend and Ben & I have arranged a surprise for Paul for his birthday. The three of us will have a very exciting day.

18th May 2011