Snowberries

I discovered these unbelievably white berries on a bush in my back yard. After some research I found out that they are snowberries. The snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is a common, native shrub growing in much of North America. Long after the leaves drop off in the autumn the hearty, white berries remain on the branches, serving as a vital source of food for birds, deer and other animals in the winter months. It would NOT be for human consumption!

Original

Texture Thursday at The Daily Wyatt
Textures and Word Art
Kim Klassen at Kim Klassen Cafe
Loopy Dots Anna Aspnes
Black and White Wednesday at The Long Road to China
White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Inspired

We just got back from a road trip through Saskatchewan. There is an area near Biggar where the ditches are filled with baby's breath. Cloud after cloud after cloud of a baby's breath. It takes me back. It inspires me. It fills me with nostalgia.

My recipe - all from Kim Klassen's wonderful July Magic Pack - free textures she gave us this week.
4 layers Inspired Magic - screen mode - layer masks to blend seamlessly on the photo and accentuate certain areas
2 layers Scratched Magic - screen - 50%, saturation - 100%
2 brushes - A Touch of Whimsy - word art and flourish

Texture Tuesday and a dream

to come home and stay home, now that's a dream . . .

I'm joining in the fun at Kim Klassen Cafe. She just recently gave us this new texture 'dream' and for some reason my mind went straight to this field of clover (no this is not my lawn but it's similar . . .)

My recipe:

My photo lightened and brightened
1 layer of 'dream' at multiply, reduced opacity, layer masks to soften areas
1 layer 'sweettreat' at soft light

You should check out all the works of art over at the Cafe - there is truly some inspiring work there.

Frilly, fragrant, and fleeting

My dreamy peonies, a green crackle vase, and fragrant candles.

This week the theme for Texture Tuesdays at Kim Klassen Cafe is 'three'. Here I've created a still life using three different elements. I've been dreaming of peonies since the first shoot appeared in May. Me trying to capture the essence of a peony! are you kidding? But this is how I feel about them. They are frilly and fragrant and are here for such a short time I am left to wonder later - was it a dream?


After adjusting exposure and adding some blur I applied one layer of Kim's beautiful texture 'subtly yours' at 50% soft light - then using a layer mask, I played around until I had revealed a bit more of the flowers.

By the wayside II

way.side

n.

The side or edge of a road, way, path, or highway

adj.

Situated at or near the side of a road, way, path, or highway

While taking the back highway home I run across some very interesting stuff! This old beater has seen better days! and here are my flowers 'By the wayside'.

I used Kim Klassen's 'golden' and 'mayzee'

Kim Klassen Friday night challenge

Kim Klassen has a little challenge and give-away going on tonight. The challenge was to take something that you don't think is beautiful and make it beautiful. I went all over the place looking for 'not beautiful' things that had some character. I even went out to the garage. Well that did it. It's so depressing out there (needs a good cleaning) that I came in and looked desperately around the house. Then I spied these peony buds. Now you might say, well, peony buds are beautiful. Well these ones are not beautiful to me. You see - yesterday I thought it was going to hail since we had a huge storm rolling in so I went and picked a bunch of my not ready peonies. And now I don't think they are going to open, which makes me very, very sad. I wait all year for one or two bouquets of peonies. I wanted to bring them in all pink, and fragrant, and ruffly. I wanted to create a stunning arrangement so I could take photos. But these buds are rock hard and haven't changed one bit since I cut them. Well then, I thought, I am going to make you beautiful, and dreamy, and PINK! I will have dreamy, PINK peony buds!

texture magic applied - I feel a bit better . . .

original, rock-hard buds . . .

Perhaps they will open. Perhaps not. Either way, I feel a bit better (after the rant). And after all that I flattened my image and lost my recipe. But I know I used 'sweettart' 'sweettreat' and 'pourvous'.

Check out the great give-away challenge! at Kim Klassen Cafe and good luck!

Lily of the valley

enchanting, fragrant, exquisite

I went hunting in my favourite little junque store 'One Man's Treasure' and I found these two tiny vases. They are bright green, a  pretty green - but kind of quite overpowering. So, Kim Klassen to the rescue! I used her texture 'not too shabby' on soft light and wow! what a difference. All of a sudden I had this dreamy vignette with my lily-of-the-valley.

On the second photo I applied a photo filter (cyan) to bring it closer to the same exposure as the first photo. Magical stuff don't you think?







Tuesday Around The World at Mamahood, Among Other Things
White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Meadow Rue

This is such an unassuming plant in my garden. It grows in a rather shady, dry, cool bed but never complains. I love these fluffy flowers that it produces - so delicate! I used Kim Klassen's new freebie texture 'subtly yours' that she so graciously gave us on Sunday. Her post was '10 Steps to Happiness - Get Started Today'. Lovely post, lovely gift. Thank you, Kim. Make sure you check out all the other textured photos at her blog:

In the garden

'stained linen' from Kim Klassen on overlay
'hopeful' action from Pioneer Woman
vignette added

Spring is bursting out!

I just can't seem to get enough of pussy willows! These have burst open and I love the airy, spidery look they have to them. ahhh spring . . . I picked them because I wanted to create an e-card for an instructor and friend at Digital Scrapper and this is what I came up with. I used Kim Klassen's textures; serendipity, silence, and sweet treat, and I'm sharing this with Texture Tuesdays at Kim Klassen Cafe.



Also with Sweet Shot Tuesdays at Life With My 3 Boybarians.



Sharing this with Photo Feature Friday at A Rosy Note