Texture Tuesday-Happy Sunflowers

Wow it has been a super long time since I have posted here.  I have really missed photography AND playing in photoshop, so sat down to have a little fun.  Oh how I do love sunflowers.  Such a happy flower!

I took advantage of a huge bundle sale over at Design Cuts some time ago and go hundreds of textures to play with.  I used a blue one here, topped with KK Carol to lighten it all up.  Everything looks good in a blue Ball jar, right??

Texture Tuesday - Open The Gift

Textured using Kim's Wonderful Magic texture on screen.

Texture Tuesday

I played with a new technique to create this half watercolor photo.  Gotta say, it was pretty fun!

Live with Abandon

"I wanna live with abandon
Give You all that I am
Every part of my heart Jesus
I place in Your hands
I wanna live with abandon"

~Newsboys

Linking up with Texture Tuesday.

Pretty Little Wax Flower - Texture Tuesday

Winter has been brutal here in central Illinois.  As I type, it is snowing again.  Another 4-7" expected on top of the foot we already have on the ground.  Whew.  So I needed to go out in search of some spring to get me through!

Sometimes I just have to go to the flower shop and ask if I can shop in their cooler!  I don't need a whole bouquet, I just needed a few little things to photograph to lift my spirits!  They didn't disappoint with this cute little wax flower.  Very fragrant too!

I used Kim's "Red" texture at 80% soft light and then texturized with mosaic.  Easy peasy! Linking up today with Texture Tuesday.

Sunny Sunflowers

Linking up with Texture TuesdaySunny  today.

Fall Beauty - Texture Tuesday Edition

The fall colors make me want to just sit in a forrest somewhere and take it all in.  How about you?

Having fun with Kim Klassen for Texture Tuesday today.

Texture Tuesday-Gratitude

On our trip last week to Shawnee National Forest, we made a stop at a place that had about 6 hummingbird feeders hanging on their building.  It was so much fun watching them scurry around.  But every now and then, they would head for a tree to rest.  I love how this turned out.

Textured with Kim's 'Xanthe Scripted'.

Texture Tuesday - Beauty

It has been a very long time since I have been able to participate in Texture Tuesday, so without further delay......here is my entry for today.  Thanks, as always, Kim for hosting and for the gorgeous textures!  This is a bud from my beautiful 'Veteran's Honor' rose.

Treated with 'Flourish' and 'The Veil' from Kim's collection.  The quote is from Ann Voskamp's book, "One Thousand Gifts".  I HIGHLY recommend this read!

Texture Tuesday

Texture Tuesday

It's been a long time since I've joined in on a Texture Tuesday!  I was feeling creative last night, so I worked up this cute little Queen Anne's Lace, textured with Kim's Leslie and Laura. I've missed you Texture Tuesday!!

Sunkissed

These cute little yellow flowers we called 'butter and eggs' when I was a kid.  I have no idea what they really are, a ground cover wildflower.  There were entire fields of them in Canada on vacation that were quite stunning!

I used Kim Klassen's 'sunkissed' and 'dreamit' textures.

An Old Jalopy for Texture Tuesday - Free & Easy eDition

A few weeks ago when I did a road trip with my friend Kelly, we happened across this beautiful old automobile just waiting for us to take a photo!

I thought it fun to show you the original this week.

I cropped it a bit because I didn't like that big old horse trailer in the background.  I am also addicted to the high pass filter, which just brings so much detail to the photo!  I then added Kim's Stained Paper texture on Hue at 100% opacity.  I added a layer mask to keep the light blue color of the car true.

This was a fun one!

Don't forget to check out my new Etsy shop for more prints for purchase!

A Visit to the Botanical Garden

We spent several days in the Chicago area this past weekend with the girls' Grandma.  I convinced asked my Husband to accompany me to the Chicago Botanical Garden on Saturday.  We've been there several times, and I do not tire of going!

A new attraction since we were there last is a Butterfly House.  I was giddy with excitement when I saw it!  A month or so ago we were able to visit the St Louis Butterfly House, but honestly this one seemed to have more butterflies, but in a smaller space.  Regardless, I was having the time of my life photographing these flying flowers.  They don't sit still very well, but when you capture one in full focus, it sure is rewarding.

My photo was treated with one layer of kkRed at 50% Soft Light, and kkGreyDay at 75% Soft Light.  Thanks for the new textures Kim!

I'd love to invite you over to my new Etsy shop!  It's all about photography!!

Texture Tuesday = Double eDition

I don't know why, but barns intrigue me!  I just can't help myself and I have to stop for photos.  They just seem to ooze history.  I edited this one like crazy, but I will try to remember all that I did to give it some character.

This is the original photo I am working from, which I really like as is too!

Recipe:
1. Duplicated my photo, applied the high pass filter on overlay 100%
2. Added a red color layer on soft light at 37%
3. Added 'Little Things' texture on color burn at 100%
4. Added 'Grunged Up' texture on multiply at 100%
5. Added 'The Veil' texture on soft light 50%
6. Added a black background to make it pop

Whew!

Linking also with Barn Charm today.

He Loves Me - Texture Tuesday

With the extreme heat, it has been hard to catch a daisy that hasn't wilted and crumpled before I can even get out there to pick it!  I got lucky with this little jewel the other day, and I snapped several photos.  I decided that I am going to start trying to show my original photo, because I love seeing the before and after shots of so many of your photos.  So here is what I started with.

I added several adjustments layers, a high pass filter on overlay at 100%, a blue color fill, a pattern overlay, several layer masks, and Kim's 'PlasterSquared' texture on multiply at 50%.

A daisy always reminds me of the famous, "He loves me, He loves me not" little diddy, and when I think of that, I always am reminded how much God loves me....and the best news is, there is no "He loves me not" because He only loves!

I'm off on a photography road trip today  with a girlfriend and I hope to return with lots of new photos to edit!!

Enjoy Texture Tuesday!

Daisies and Dew - Texture Tuesday

I love Texture Tuesdays! It's always so fun to see what you are all working on! I gotta say, I am so appreciative of this Photography community! You are all great comment-leaving peeps and supporters, and I adore you all for it! Keep up the great work encouraging others in this great Tuesday party Kim has going on!

Last week while grocery shopping, my husband happened upon this gigantic can of Mountain Dew, my favorite drink!  It was quite funny, so I just had to buy it.  I knew immediately that I wanted to put some flowers in it to photograph!

Yep, two of my favorite things, Daisies and Mountain Dew.  Naturally I had to put them together!  This print probably won't end up on my living room wall, but it was fun to play!!

That was two layers of KK-Charmed, one on soft light and one on multiply.

Enjoy Texture Tuesday!!

Texture Tuesday - Where Flowers Bloom

A bouquet from my garden.

Linking up with Texture Tuesday today!

Texture Tuesday - Anticipation

Sometimes editing photos comes easily.....but then sometimes it doesn't.  I wanted to combine Texture Tuesday this week with my assignment of "Green" for the Beyond Layers class.  It did not come easily...the photo OR the editing!

Do you ever go out to take photos, having something in your mind to capture, but the camera, the lighting, the wind and the subject just can't seem to get it all together to match what is in your mind?  yea, that.

I hope you enjoy my green purple coneflower.  Watching their progression from green to purple is always a beautiful transformation.

I used a layer of Kim's 'Paper Stained' at 85% on Multiply.

Texture Tuesday - {Quote eDition}

A very quick visit to the Butterfly House in St Louis, Missouri on Friday garnered a few photos.  The light wasn't fantastic, and the subject matter flighty, and unable to sit still for this photographer!  Luckily a few of these gorgeous tropical creatures were recently hatched and sitting still drying their wings.  This beauty is called a "Paper Kite" and to see and feel them whizzing about my head was quite extraordinary!

I've simply used two layers of Kim's 'Evolve', (thought that was appropriate) and masked out just the head and body of the butterfly.

I have not been able to identify this beauty yet, but he stood still for me for the longest time.  I've treated this photo with a layer of Kim's 'DearDreamer' at 100% soft light, a layer of 'DearDreamer' with the postmark at 52% multiply, and a layer of 'Revolution' at 100% multiply with a layer mask in the center of the photo on each layer.

That's it for this week!

Be sure to check out the information about my Mommy & Me Photography Challenge.  We'll be posting on Wednesday!!  It's not too late to join in on the fun!!