just a photo and a few words...

Choose five characteristics to describe myself? Hmmm... thought about short-tempered, cranky, demanding, impatient, and easily distracted (my darker side) but this is supposed to be about the "beautiful" things in my life. Luckily I do have a good side!

This page was fun - but I just couldn't help myself. I did change out two of the papers JS had on this page - the orange in the top photo just screamed for a different photo mat. But it's all good - I'm still caught up with the class (for now). Isn't it funny how you can describe "I love the feel of safety and love wrapped in Jay's arms" with just a photo and the word "feel"? And for anyone whose mind went somewhere else, shame on you!

Beautiful Evidence

I am WAY TOO BUSY! Between back-to-school shopping for three teenage girls (that was all day trips on Friday and Sunday, and a quick two hour run on Saturday), and getting Sarah ready to take back to S.U. tomorrow (Jay did the WalMart/Target run with her today. Can you say $450 later? When did OTC meds, shampoo, and tape get so expensive anyway?) I'm already exhausted.

As if that is not enough, I've once again over-extended myself on online classes (some teachers/subjects I just can't bear to pass up). This new class at JessicaSprague.com is one digi page a day for 20 days with the final result being a ready-for-print photobook. In an effort to keep up and complete this one, I'm TRYING very hard not to overthink it - to just fill in the templates exactly as Jessica has outlined for the class. So there is little to no creativity on my part here, but I still think the finished result will be beautiful. Oh, and match the color scheme of my scraproom!

Speaking of scraproom.... no, it isn't done. But I did get this little corner of my new world done, complete with sewing of the cushion cover and pillows!

The Final Lesson - JS Photo Editing

For the class lesson, Jessica asked us to do this with an adjustment layer that turned the whole grid to black & white and then to just recolor the center photo. It's a cool look that really makes that center photo pop. Maybe if I had a stronger center photo I'd like it this way.

What I discovered is that when I turned the adjustment layer "off" I really preferred this 9 photo grid in full color. This is designed to be printed on photo paper and then added to a 12 x 12 layout with title, embellishments, journaling, etc. Cool.

JS Photo Editing Lesson 10 - Combining Techniques

Two different attempts at combining textures, edge burn, adjustment layers, and layered text. I think this technique is great for photos that are otherwise less than perfect. The photo of Jay & I at the beach was actually pretty blurry. By the time you've added all these effects, the overall "mood" of the photo is what stands out - the finer details like facial features aren't as important.

JS Photo Editing Lesson 11 - Selective Hand Coloring

Same original photo as used in lesson 9 - this time I cropped in tight to create a photo of Jay & I without the extra background. Using adjustment layers, desaturate the photo and then with the brush tool, selectively recolor just a portion of the photo. I finished this off with Jessica Sprague's paper edge frame. Love this finished look!

JS Photo Editing Lesson 9 - Edge Burn

BEFORE: Original Photo corrected for lighting.

AFTER: The effect is very subtle because I didn't pull the midtones too far to the dark side, but the idea is that the edges of the photo darken while the center stays bright. You can see it if you compare the wood color from the pews and the vegetation outside the windows. Darkening the outside edges of the photo is supposed to draw your eye to the center to this lovely photo of me as Maid of Honor at Krystal's wedding and that super handsome guy I'm with.

JS Photo Editing Lesson 8

Before - original photo with minor light adjustments

After - added texture and layered type.