Spring Mill scenes, all with PSE edits . . .

The annual Spring Mill outing with my family . . .

Sarah, Thomas, Greg, and Sam . . .

Theresa and Anya . . .

Anya . . .

Pam and jan . . .

Anne . . .

At the Spring Mill Inn buffet . . .

Me . . .

Theresa has a group photo that I'll post later.

I have a bunch of non-people photos, also for later

(after some PSE play time).

Vince and Sarah saying "Bye" . . .

Took this photo, not for the subject, not for the composition,

but just because the colors were appealing . . .

Going for broke

with Shadowhouse Creations Bokeh #4 using linear light . . .

You never quite know where you'll end up

when you let your imagination out to play.

Reading Log

I started a reading log 24 years ago.

This was ten years or so into my adult reading life.

My log is just the title and author, mostly in the order finished.

I read more fiction than non-fiction.

I generally don't read short stories or poems, some but not many,

and the occasional biography.

I spent a decade in science fiction, a few years in romance,

another decade in mysteries.

I still love a good mystery.

Sometimes I'll find an author and read until I'm saturated

or read an entire series beginning to end.

Not often, I'll re-read a book or series . . .

like this year when I re-read the Mitford series by Jan Karon.

During my childhood, I was a voracious reader,

mostly Nancy Drew and The Bobbsey Twins.

Then I stopped reading.

But a year or two after graduation,

I clearly remember picking up a paperback;

it was "The Source" by James Michener.

I was hooked.

I've never quit since.

My beautiful daughter, the photographer . . .

I took a photo this afternoon (after the storm)

with wonderful full sunshine making strong shadows.

This is the photo SOOC (straight out of camera) . . .

This is with a PSE levels correction,

which looks more like what I was seeing with my eyes . . .

Then, I play.

PSE's Dry Brush effect . . .

Using Shadowhouse Creations texture Old Canvas #4 and vivid light . . .

Fun, fun, fun.

Faces . . .

from jan . . .

from Emma . . .

19th Annual Pumpkin Carving . . .

Coming back home from a Ham & Bean Dinner . . .

The muted effects of the approaching winter . . .

(all photos processed with CoffeeShop's Orton action)

Contrasted with the bright and vivid colors of autumn . . .

a highly-colored sassafras leaf, fresh fallen from the tree . . .

a tree covered in gorgeous berries at Jeanne and Barry's . . .

Artsy-craftsy

Many years ago, I was told I was artsy-craftsy.

It was probably meant as a compliment, but at the time,

I was slightly insulted.
An artist?  Well, no, I wasn't even close.
A craftsman?  Well, no, I guess not that either,
although I have tried out many crafts.

Thirty-five years later, I realize that “artsy-craftsy” is an apt description.

If I had stayed with one medium maybe I could have  “owned” the title of
artist or craftsman at some point in my life.  But, I didn’t.

What have I dabbled in over the years of working and child-rearing and homeschooling?

Knitting, crochet, sewing, comforters, quilting, needlepoint, papercrafts,
embroidery, cross-stitch, counted cross-stitch, punched tin, leathercraft,
stenciling, photography, photo developing in the days of film, watercolor,
mixed media, chalk, pen and ink, colored pencil, stamping, card making,
paper scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, blogging.
I’ve probably forgotten a few.

I have always felt the need, the pull, to make things,
to lose myself in the process of creating
whether I’m piecing a comforter or editing a photo.
Time passes and I’m somewhere else, inside what I’m doing,
not where I actually am physically.

I’m about to start book-making on a very limited scale,

another craft to be tried.

I should be spending my time on projects I’m committed to:

two Christmas stockings,
18 Christmas ornaments with a yet-to-be-determined design,
and a first-year scrapbook for my granddaughter.

Projects, of every variety and hue, satisfy my need to create.
So, I will “own” the description of artsy-craftsy.

Isn't she cute . . .

Another recycling bin . . .

Circles are finding me.

Left in the bottom of a wine glass . . . 

Light in an upstairs window . . .

Looking up while at the Monroe County library . . .

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Another bathroom . . .

My nephew, Ben, opens his blog with:

"I hope you never have to enter a deeper pot of random and crazy in your life."

I love it!  (which is said often by my sister, his mom)

Other happenings this past weekend:

Theresa and Ian made and decorated cookies . . .

Vince made and finished some benches and a coffee table . . .

and played with the dogs . . .

Annette rode Deja Vu . . .

So, he again wouldn't stop moving

and the light was fading quickly,

but here is Ian up a tree . . .

Two more textures on the same photo.

Original . . .

Jessica Sprague #10 with Vivid Light . . . 

Shadowhouse Bokeh1 with Color Burn . . .

Three photos in their original forms . . .

I've started playing with textures in PSE 7.0.

All the following textures are from Shadowhouse Creations

Shadowhouse Creations - click here

Old Canvas 4 . . .

Rustic Charm 2 - with Linear Dodge Add . . .

Rustic Charm 2 - with Vivid Light . . .

Bokeh 4 - with Overlay . . .