In Pursuit of the Picture

I am not sure if any of you know but I can juggle! Really! And I bet you can too! So with all the bowling pins, flaming torches, and swords that you've already got flying around your head, it might be fun to add to your crafting pursuits, some graphic arts and photographic know-how!

Now, my educational bend is in the Marriage and Family Therapy and Psychology world and although I can read the directions for operating a digital camera, my degrees don't translate to knowing everything in the whole wide world! Really!

With that said, I am trying to learn as much as I can about graphic design and photography for free! I am studying others' work, and finding out what theory drives their creations. To some that sounds like I'm trying to suck the beauty out of the rainbow, but if I'm going to create the way I want, and I can't afford to submit myself to an expert, then it's time to surf the waves of the web!

I came across an article about how to take effective photographs. I liked it, maybe you will find it helpful, too! Alibony.com

I also found a couple links for studying the concept of "The Rule of Thirds".  You can google it as "rule of thirds".
Wikipedia
Digital Photography School.com

You can also google terms like "design elements, design principles, photography 101", etc.

I also discovered this great tool for finding coordinating colors for my pictures, Scrapbook.com Scrap By Color.

Family Layout

Being on a design team has caused me to mix up the order I usually scrap my layouts.  So I've had to go back a couple of years and start scrapping some of my pictures from family vacations.  I have different albums going as well.

I have an album for my 3-year old daughter and I am also doing an album for me of all family.
This layout is entitled "Family"

The background is craft paper.  The stickers were from Michaels and the strip of denim with chunky glitter was trim from the clearance section of Wal-Mart's craft section.  I believe the patterned papers are from SEI, but I'll have to double check that and rummage through my scraps to see if I can find the maker.  I've had absent-minded pregnant lady mentality lately!  The red polka-dot paper was from the clearance area at Two Peas in a Bucket.  You could easily make it by welding circles together on your die cut machine software or your Gypsy.

Scrapbook Page for a 12 x 12 Shadow Box

I have never made a layout for a shadow box before.  I really leaped before I should have, because I am not sure if I will find a frame for this layout I did of my aunt who is having her birthday, January 2nd.  I used all kinds of techniques on this baby.

 

 

 

 

A Trip to San Diego Botanical Gardens and Balboa Park

Hannah, you, are truly a gift from God.  We fall in love with you over and over watching you experience things for the first time. We envy you!

Reads the journaling for this page.  During one of our jaunts to San Diego, CA, we stopped at Balboa Park and went to the free Botanical Gardens located within the heart of the park. 

There is a koi pond, where hordes of people gathered to paint the various water lilies in bloom.  There were various groups of people meeting to do physical fitness and then there were tourists from all over milling around. 

Hannah really enjoyed looking at the plants which were samples from all over the world that could easily grow in SDs mild climate.    I wish I could remember what it was like to smell and touch exotic flowers for the first time.  I guess that's why we go there so often, so I can just let the first time come back.

Near the Natural History Museum at Balboa Park is a huge commons which has a large fountain.  Hannah was very excited to see how far the water shot up into the air.  We are lunch here and just enjoyed the fresh air.  Later we found a butterfly garden and chased a couple of huge monarchs around. 

Of course nap time approached and we had to leave. 

I used prima paper flowers and silk flowers that I altered, perfect pearls and water in my Ranger mister.  I used a Bohemian paper, journal card, and transparency as well as Martha Stewart ribbon. I used Tim Holtz distressing ink to grunge up the papers and ribbons. 

Petscrapping

I realized the other day that I don't have any pages up with my cats.  I made this page before I had any snazzy scrapbooking tools, like die cutters and such.

This one is of my little girl cat, Cami. She was sleeping on the couch next to a blanket and I noticed after I took the picture that she looked like a little lioness.  She always looks like she is smiling, too!  I am very fond of Cami.  I found her at the Dairy Queen in Bigfork, MT in August of 2000.  She is not this gold in color, but who cares.  She's gorgeous regardless!

My Rendition of Sketch #41 at 52 Sketches 52 Weeks

This weeks sketch #41 at 52 Sketches...52Weeks can be seen here.  This is my take on their sketch.

I am still trying to break out of the mold a little.  Instead of doing a circle I did a flower under DDs picture.  I also did individual embellishments as a border along the top instead of a single scalloped border.  I did 5 lines of journaling instead of three.

I thought at first, and you might agree, that the colors would be too bold.  However, I think that they worked well as a focal vortex to focus your eye on the less busy part of the LO which is the picture of my DD.  The print on the paper in which the picture is on resembles the print on her shirt.  She loves butterflies and calls them "Yi-Yi's" with a long "i" sound.
This is my first entry over at 52S52W and I hope my work inspires some others as they inspire me.
I used K&Co paper, and embellishments from their "Berry Sweet" collection.