Photo Color Cards

Thanks to my growing interest in Pinterest, I have begun making what I call "Photo Color Cards" - actually 8 x 8 pages featuring one of my own photos and six color tabs taken from the colors in the photo. Each of the tabs includes the hex code for that color, in case I or anyone else would like to use a specific color in a digital project.

Here are the seven cards I've done so far --

Taken in the Centenial Rose Garden, Anchorage AK - Aug 2007

Taken at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer AK - Aug 2007

Taken at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer AK - Aug 2007

Taken at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer AK - Aug 2007

Taken at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer AK - Aug 2007

Taken in Waikiki HI - Feb 2010

Taken in Maui HI - Feb 2010

I've also been making "Subway Art Prints" -- check them out at my crafty blog Divine Inspirations

~ klb

Texture Tuesday ~ Celebrate eDition

Because we (here in the US) are in the middle of our Holiday Season (Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's), the theme for this week's challange is "Celebrate!" The most important reason to celebrate is the birth and life of Jesus Christ, Who was given to us as a Gift from GOD the Father. If we choose to accept this Gift, we will spend eternity with Him and with all those who have died in Christ before us, living forever in a state of joy, satisfaction and love; with no pain, no stress and no sorrow. Truly, a reason to celebrate!


My photo doesn't really reflect that type of celebration, however -- instead, I am sharing this fireworks photo that I took nearly three years ago (January 3, 2009). Alaska was celebrating her 50th year of statehood that day and there were state- and city-wide events happening all that weekend, one of which was this fabulous fireworks show held in downtown Anchorage. Normal low temps for that time of year are in the upper teens Farenheit - you can see in the last photo what the temp was while we were downtown experiencing the festivities!

Straight out of Camera

FORMULA --

* Cropped original image to 8 x 10 300dpi
* Ctrl J to Duplicate layer - Soft Light 55%
* Added Kim Klassen's "Look Upon" texture - Multiply 85%
* Merged layers and clipped to border mask
* Added text: CAC Shishoni Brush (Alaska); Gloucester MT Extra Condensed (50 years of statehood); Bernard MT Condensed (1959-2009)
* Using white type, applied Overlay blending mode @ 100%
* Added my own watermark (Beyond Wonderland & Tekton Pro); applied Soft Light and lowered opacity to 55%

Yes, that's 24 degrees BELOW zero! Just a bit nippy...

Be sure to stop by Kim Klassen Cafe and check out this week's fabulous entries!

~ klb

MCP Actions

Just wanted to let all my blog followers and browsers know that MCP Actions is a fanTABulous place to visit for tutorials, tips, classes and ACTIONS - lots and lots of creative actions for Photoshop and Lightroom! They are currently giving away a new Canon G12 point & shoot camera - in the next few minutes!

Be sure to stop by their website MCP Actions and also to "Like" them on Facebook :)

Hurry! Hurry!

~ klb

Texture Tuesday ~ The Gratitude eDition Returns

There are many things I am grateful for this holiday season and one of them is my dear friend and Sister-in-Christ, Jess Jennings. Jess and I first met several years ago when we attnded the same church. We were both avid scrapbookers and our friendship grew from the twice-a-month crops held at the church. Quite often, Jess and I and the hostess of the crops (a mutual dear friend) would remain till the wee hours of the morning - not working on our layouts, but in deep discussion about life, families, the Lord...

Time passed and Jess and I kind of drifted apart for a few years - not due to anything negative, but our lives just took different paths for a season.  Just within the past year, Jess and I have reconnected and what a blessing! Though we no long attend the same church, nor do we gather at scrapbooking crops, we are still connected through our relationship with Jesus Christ -- and our love of photography! While I wasn't looking, Jess has really developed her skills and creative talents as a portrait photographer and she is in high demand.

This past Saturday, she invited me to come up to a church camp where she had scheduled several families to get their Christmas portraits done.  I have been to this location several times over the last 20 years or so and it's always a lovely place to visit. However, I'd not been there in winter and happily agreed to swing by to visit with my friend, as well as try to get some nice winter landscapes :) The following seven photos were taken that day and the first one shows Jess doing her thing - shooting a lovely family out on the lake at the Birchwood Camp in Chugiak Alaska. **Note - it was the parents' idea to be photographed without coats!




Straight out of Camera



Formula:

* Cropped photo to 8 x 10
* Added layer adjustment
* Duplicated photo and set to SOFT LIGHT
* Added Kim Klassen's MusicLovin - OVERLAY 35%
* Added Kim Klassen's SeriousMagic - LINEAR DODGE 65%
* Added clipping mask I made
* Added text - Hello Sark & Century Gothic fonts

Be sure to visit Texture Tuesday at  Kim Klassen Cafe to see the lovely and creative images submitted for this week's challenge!

~ klb

Texture Tuesday ~ the "And Then Some" eDition

It's been awhile since I've participated in Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday *or* posted here in the blog. Life sometimes gets in the way of doing the things we long to do...  The challenge this week was to use at least one layer of Kim's "And Then Some" texture on our photo. I chose the image of a daisy field because winter has finally hit our area and after two days of snow and cold, I felt the need to work on a cheery photo!

Oct 30, 2011 @ 8:57 am

SooC

Formula

* Cropped original photo to 8 x 10, 300dpi

* Did hue/sat and birght/contrast adjustment layers

* Added Kim's "And Then Some" texture - Multiply @ 75%

* Added Kim's two layers of Kim's "Back In" texture - Soft Light @ 75%; Multiply @ 75%

* Added clipping mask using grunge brushes by Meth (brusheezy.com

* Added text using PetraScript and Arial fonts.

TFL and be sure to check out all the creative entries at Kim Klassen Cafe :)

~ klb

Texture Tuesday ~ the Gratitude eDition

This week's theme for TT is "Gratitude." I took this photo of my grandchildren with my iPhone on Oct 2, 2011. Changed the color photo to sepia, cropped it, added Kim Klassen's "Word" texture (Soft Light blend mode @ 100%) and "Stained Linen" texture (Pin Light blend mode @ 30%), created the word art ("Damned Hearts" brush; VT Portable Remington & Tekton Pro fonts); added a border using a corner brush by "Swirls by Kaffaleen" and added the babies' names and the date (Tekton Pro font).

The reason I chose this photo as my entry has two levels... On the surface, I am grateful for these beautiful babies; grateful to be their "gammie." They are sweet, adorable, precious gifts from GOD - my treasures. On a deeper level, due to some challenges in our family during the past 14 months, relations between me and my children have, at times, been strained and time spent together as a family has been few and far-between. On the night I took this photo, my three youngest kids - J, Jenni and Matthew, my son-in-law, Ivory and the grandbabies, Amelia and Adrian, all met together for dinner; for Jenni & Ivory to meet their new nephew, who was 9 days old at the time, and to hand out gifts they had picked up during their recent Caribbean cruise. Unexpectedly (though I firmly believe it was a "GOD thing"), I was in the neighborhood and able to stop in to say "Hi." I only expected to be able to stay for a few minutes, but actually spent an hour and a half with my beloved family -- a blessed gift that truly filled me with GRATITUDE...

Straight out of camera

Please stop by Kim Klassen's Cafe and check out all the lovely creativity to be found in this week's challenge entries!

~ klb

Introducing...

My first grandson -- Adrian Isaac! He arrived @ 5:23 pm Sept 23, 2011 - exactly one day after his Daddie's 26th birthday and his parents' 2nd wedding anniversary. Adrian is little brother to our precious Amelia Ann, who turned two years old on Sept 7, 2011 - the same day her mother turned 20. September is a big month for birthdays in our family - along with these four, my son-in-law's birthday is Sept 4, my kids' older half-sister's birthday is Sept 1 and my birthday is almost exactly between Amelia's and Adrian's - on Sept 15.  Busy, busy month!

Anyway - on to the photos! This first one I took with my iPhone when Adrian was nearly an hour and a half old.  I love his chubby little cheeks and the fact that he has HAIR! Amelia, like her Daddie, Matthew, was born with peach fuzz, but my three older kids all had a ton of hair at birth, as did I. It's sweet that little Adrian has followed this "tradition" :) He is a beautiful little boy and a priceless addition to our family.

Oh right - the photos...

The second photo is the "SooC" version of my entry for this week's Texture Tuesday in the theme of "LOVE." This photo was also taken with an iPhone - this time taken Adrian's other grandmother when he was about three hours old. The third photo is my edited/processed entry image.

Straight out of camera





FORMULA --

* Cropped original photo to 8 x 10, 300 dpi

* Levels adjustment layer

* White balance adjustment

* Changed color photo to sepia

* Added Kim Klassen's Canvas Magic texture - Lighten blend mode @ 100%

* Added Kim Klassen's Love texture - Multiply blend mode @ 70%

* Fonts: Angelic War ("Father & Son") and Hello Sark

* Clipping mask made by me, using brushes from brusheezy.

**NOTE** - Edits made to my first image also used the "Canvas Magic" and "Love" textures by Kim Klassen

Be sure to visit Kim Klassen's Cafe to see all the other lovely entries for this week's theme of LOVE!

TFL ~ klb

Autumn Pix and Texture Tuesday

The other day, we took a drive through Hatcher Pass and on up north to Talkeetna. So much glorious color to see -- it took my breath away... Here are a few of the shots I took that day -- the first image is my entry for this week's TT theme, "Free & Easy - Anything Goes" eDition (Photo must use at least one of Kim Klassen's textures).

Straight out of camera

Unfortunately, I neglected to jot down the various edits I made to these photos -- didn't realize that till just now... I do know that each is cropped to 8 x 10 and each uses the "Autumn Burst" texture from Kim Klassen. The track photo and the Mt McKinley photo both use additional textures, but I cannot tell you which ones or at what blend mode settings.  Sorry.

On another note - I'm no poet, but my emotions and spirit were so consumed with the beauty around me, that I wrote this down --

O Wonder!

O Joy!

O Magnificent Creation!

Who could imagine the beauty to be found in a state of decay?

The LORD --- Master --- Creator --- Artiste

He is the Maker of Masterpieces --- in His gallery hang the colors of death

Blues & Greens, Golds & Reds, Copper & Amethyst

Breathtaking Majesty!

In a world that is destined for destruction - that is rotting under the weight of sin

If such beauty and wonder can be seen so clearly in a dying world...

Can you even try to imagine the colors of LIFE that await us in Eternity?

If our Father-GOD will bestow such vibrancy to something that is not intended to last...

What must  Heaven be like --- what beauty, what wonder, what joy and splendor will we see and experience in the New Earth?

The richness of color and beauty - even intensified 100-fold in our imaginations -

Is nothing compared to the reality we will experience in that day...

O, Praise HIS Holy Name!

~ klb

Texture Tuesday ~ the "Autumn Burst and/or Do eDition"

Kim Klassen's original theme for this week's challenge was, "Do." Today, though, she added a texture -- Autumn Burst -- and changed the theme to include using her texture "and/or" the original "Do" challenge. My entry uses both.  The text on my image, "Lead me to the CROSS," is something I pray/DO every day. Life has been full of unexpected challenges for the last year and a half. Challenges of the non-photography variety. I cannot imagine getting through them and moving forward without Jesus by my side.


Oh. And I also used Kim's "Autumn Burst" texture on my image.

Straight out of camera

FORMULA --

* Original layer: cropped to 8 x 10; levels adjustment

* Duplicated original layer and levels adjustment; set duplicated layer to SOFT LIGHT @ 36%

* Used a Hue/Sat adjustment layer and reduced saturation

* Added "Scripted Autumn" - MULTIPLY @ 65%

* Using a soft brush @ 25% opacity, erased texture from the cross in the photo.

* Duplicated "Scripted Autumn" - SOFT LIGHT @ 65% - again, erased texture from the cross
* Added "Autumn Burst" - OVERLAY @ 100%

* Used clipping mask made from digital brushes by Anna Aspnes (oscraps.com)
* Added text using VT Portable Remington font

Photo was taken in Happy Valley, Alaska, July 2011

Be sure to visit the other fun and creative entries at Kim Klassen Cafe'

~ klb

We Remember

Ten years ago today, my Husband and I were sound asleep when we received a phone call from our son, J, who worked at one of our local TV stations in Anchorage. Rog answered the phone and walked back into the bedroom to tell me that J was on the phone with disturbing news -- it appeared the US was under attack - in NYC.  I was recovering from a shattered elbow and struggled to get up off the mattress on the floor. Rog had gone back into the living room and turned on the TV. I came out, sat down on the couch and remained glued to the set for the next several hours - watching in wonder and amazement.  I don't recall anything else about that day. I do know that our local news reported airport closures and heightened security around our army and air force bases. Anything beyond that is just a blur. 

Denali National Park, 7/10/10

Today, I am watching assorted special programs on TV commemorating that surreal tragedy. Some is actual footage taken during that day and others are re-enactments of the days and hours leading up to the attack. I'm not really sure why I am watching. Out of respect for the lives that were lost and for the loved ones left behind - but I did not know anyone personally who lived through or died in NYC, Pennsylvania or Washington DC. Still, as I watch these programs, my heart is touched and my prayers are with those who lost loved ones on that momentous day. My thoughts and prayers are also with those who are fighting in "the war on terror" - Bless them for their courage, determination and sacrifice. Bless their families for their own sacrifice and hardships as they watch their loved ones march off to war for the benefit of many.

Angelus Memorial Cemetery, 5/30/11

~ klb

How Excellent!

This is a photo I took recently of a HIGHLY TOXIC mushroom in Eagle River Alaska. On it, I used the "Gorton Effect" which gives the image a soft, dreamy look. I got the instructions from Kim Boustany at kimi kreations -- Thanks so much, Kim :)  Also used a clipping mask made from digital brushes by Anna Aspnes at Oscraps

Straight out of camera



~ klb

Texture Tuesday ~ the Cracker Jack eDition

This week's challenge for Kim Klassen's TT group was to use her "Cracker Jack" texture on our photo.  This shot was taken last Saturday in Petersville Alaska. I wanted to capture the changing of the seasons and focused on the orange-red leaves of the fireweed and the golden leaves of the aspen behind it. I used two layers of Kim's Cracker Jack texture on this image.

Straight out of camera

Formula --

* Cropped original photo to 8 x 10

* Duplicated original image - SOFT LIGHT blend mode @ 100%

* Added Cracker Jack Texture - MULTIPLY blend mode @ 75%

* Duplicated Cracker Jack layer and flipped horizontally

* Added processed image to clipping mask

* Added text - CAC Shishoni Brush and Century Gothic fonts

Please be sure to check out all the lovely entries at Kim Klassen Cafe :)

~ klb

Orange eDition, pt 2

I did this photo last night for a friend and thought it fit very well with this week's TT "Orange" theme. Taken in July 2011 at the historic Kennecott Copper Mine in McCarthy Alaska.



Straight out of camera



Formula --

* Cropped original photo and added levels adjustment

* Added Kim Klassen's texture, "Cracker Jack" - color burn @ 100% - used a layer mask and removed texture from the bolt

* Added another layer of "Cracker Jack" - soft light @ 100%

* Added a 3rd layer of "Cracker Jack" - mulitply @ 100%

* Added Kim Klassen's texture, "Chamomile" - multiply @ 100%

* Clipped edited image to clipping mask made with digital brushes by "meth" (brusheezy.com)

* Added text - "High Tower Text" and "Century Gothic" fonts

TFL ~ klb

* 

Texture Tuesday ~ the Orange eDition

I skipped last week's TT by Kim Klassen, but am back this week with my ORANGE entry. This toadstool photo was taken three years ago - Aug 2008 - in our yard. August is when all the musrooms and toadstools "bloom" and show their vibrant colors.

Straight out of camera

Formula --

* Cropped original layer and did a levels adjustment

* Duplicated original layer and used MULTIPLY blend mode @ 75%

* Added Kim Klassen's "Cracker Jack" texture and used MULTIPLY blend mode @ 100%

* Added Kim's "Golden" texture and used SOFT LIGHT blend mode @ 100%

* Added Kim's "Chamomile" texture and used PIN LIGHT blend mode @ 65%

* Used a layer mask on the Chamomile texture with eraser brush set at 75% opacity

* Used clipping mask made with brushes by Anna Aspnes (designerdigitals.com)

* Added text using High Tower Text and Century Gothic fonts

Be sure to pop over to Kim Klassen Cafe and check out all the other creative entries for this week's challenge!

TFL ~ klb

Bloom Baby Bloom

Took this shot of fireweed in front of a dirt-mover down in Anchor Point last month.  Loved the vivid pink against the orange-yellow of the tractor.  I used the text, "BLOOM Baby BLOOM" because I am entering a new phase of life and felt the need for some encouragement. I think I will print this, frame it and maybe hang it in my bathroom where I can see it every day. What color should the mat or frame be? I'm thinking bright {lime} green - will match my room colors and bring out the leaves in the photo.



Straight out of camera

 

Processing Formula --

* Cropped and duplicated original photo; set blending mode to Soft Light, 100%

* Added a layer using my "DI Texture 1" - Multiply blending mode @ 85%

* Added a layer using my "DI Texture 9" - Overlay blending mode @ 100%

* Merged all layers and clipped to clipping mask made from a digital brush by Anna Aspnes (designerdigitals.com)

* Added text - Font is KingThings Scrybbledot, reduced opacity to 75%

Print size is 8 x 10, 300 dpi

~ klb

Something To Believe In...

For the past year or so, our family has been under attack spiritually, resulting in major upheaveals and emotional, spiritual and financial challenges. At times, it seems as though we are nearing the end of this storm - yet at other times, it feels as though we've been sucked into a whirlpool from which we'll never be freed. Yesterday was a "whirlpool day." Thankfully, the Lord did help us rise above it - or begin to, anyway - and we visited a couple of dear brothers- and sister-in-Christ last evening, who prayed for us and spoke blessings over us. Our dear sister, Michelle and her husband, Terry had recently been to visit their daughter and son-in-law in Australia; while there, Michelle was inspired to pick up this sweet little creamer with the encouraging promise that "Nothing is impossible with GOD." During our visit there last night, she brought it out to show us and said, "This is the Lord's gift to you. GOD is bigger than your circumstances - when you look at this, remember that."  Well, I may be paraphrasing just a bit, but that was the gist of what she said.

When she gave it to me, I knew I was supposed to take a photo and create something to print and hang, as a daily reminder.  Here is the result of that.

Straight out of camera

Texture Formula --

Background Layer: original photo; did a layers adjustment and added "diffuse glow" (1-2-13)
Layer 1: Duplicated background layer; used a Hue/Sat adjustment layer to remove color, then reduced opacity on adjustment layer to 50% to let a little color shine through.
Layer 2: Kim Klassen's "kk_123" texture - vivid light blending mode @ 60%Layer 3:  Duplicated the "123" texture - linear burn blending mode @ 50%; used a layer mask and removed a bit of this layer from the creamer to lighten it up some.Layer 4: Kim Klassen's "Golden" texture - vivid light blending mode @ 25%


*Clipping mask was created using grunge edge brushes by "meth," found at brusheezy.com; pink shade was taken from the petals in the photo.

I am so thankful for the body of Christ. They are truly His hands and feet to those in need and through them, the Lord pours out His love, mercy and grace. Blessings on you, Michelle & Terry, Ben & Deanna...

~ klb


Texture Tuesday ~ the Movie eDition

This week's theme for the Texture Tuesday challenge is "Movie." Kim Klassen opened it up to us participants to select the theme for this week and Olivia was the winner :) Olivia wrote, "...my challenge entry is A MOVIE.. pick any movie, your favorite movie, the photo just has to go along with the the title! you said to think out of the box.. right! how fun is that!"  I have quite the list of favorite movies, but for this challenge, I chose Toy Story {although my favorite of the Toy Story movies is #2}

My image is one I shot this past April and is of our little dog Cully's favorite toys.  She just loves stuffed animals that squeak, sing, bark or giggle (Elmo) !

My "formula" --
Bottom Layer: Original photo; levels adjustment, diffuse glow filter
Layer 1: copy of orig photo; hue/adjustment layer - first removed all color, then decreased opacity to 78% to bring a little color back in
Layer 2: Kim's "Love in Layers" texture - Linear Burn blending mode @ 66% opacity
Layer 3: Kim's "Just Stitched" texture - Overlay blending mode @ 65% opacity
Layer 4: Kim's "kk_123" texture - Soft Light blending mode @ 85% opacity

Clipping mask was created using a decorative brush by Anna Aspnes (Hipster Plumes Korners & Edges No. 1) and an edge brush "meth" (found at brusheezy.com)

TFL ~ klb

Straight out of Camera

Texture Tuesday ~ "It's the Little Things" eDition

Kim Klassen's challenge this week is "It's the Little Things" -- Kim left it up to us to determine what that means.  So, my entry is a photo I took in April 2008 while visiting one of Anchorage's public greenhouses. In this greenhouse/nursery, there is a section that is filled with thousands upon thousands of ladybugs roaming free over the plants and flowers and... unfortunately... the floor. Eeww.

But I digress.

This pretty little guy-or-gal was a small speck on a big flower, but it got my attention and I snapped this pic. When I later saw the image on my computer monitor and enlarged it, I was so pleased to see how sharp and clear this little bug stood out on the flower - not to mention how color-coordinated they were together!

The quote is my paraphrase of a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson (All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen).

My "formula" -- after cropping the original image from 12 x 9 to 10 x 8 and adjusting the levels, and contrast, I copied the image and used the Overlay blending mode (100%). Next layer up is Kim's "Water Stained Frame" set on Multiply blending mode (100%). Above that is another layer of "Water Stained Frame," this time using Soft Light blending mode (100%) and the top layer is Kim's "Scratched Magic July" using the Screen blending mode (85%)

The clipping mask was made using a brush from Anna Aspnes' "Hipster Plumes Korners & Edges No. 1" (designerdigitals.com) and an edge brush by "meth" and found at Brusheezy.com. Font is "Curlz MT"

Check out the other fab entries for this week's challenge HERE

TFL ~ klb



Straight out of camera