I've created another fun tutorial on eHow with detailed instructions for creating a beautiful black-and-white photo with spot color. The tutorial includes steps for editing in Adobe Photoshop Elements, and also includes step-by-step pictures to assist you.
Check it out: How To Create A Black-and-White Photo With Spot Color
I've just posted a new tutorial on the eHow website with detailed instructions for creating a black-and-white hand-tinted digital photo using Photoshop Elements. This technique can be used on any photograph, and involves just a few steps.
Check it out: How To Create a B&W Hand-Tinted Digital Photograph
Example:
Well, I just tried my hand at editing a photo for the "grunge" look, and I'm pretty happy with my first attempt. I was inspired by a Christmas photo we received from an aunt & uncle - he is a professional photographer and their grunge-style photo looks awesome.
I used a photo of myself and hubby - our Christmas portrait. Here are the before and after photos!
I shared this cute photo on TwoPeas as part of a photo challenge, and thought I'd share it here, too, with all of you. A few days ago, in single-digit temperatures, I caught this little black-eyed junco kicking back beneath the birdfeeder for much of the day. He just hung around and enjoyed the sunflower seeds scattered in the snow.
Remember you heard it hear first, two weeks ago, that the Flip Mino is a hot seller this season! LOL
Sitting here this morning I thought it was great to see the Flip Mino featured on Good Morning America as a top gift item for this year's Christmas season. You'll remember I shared my two custom Flip Minos, Retro Red Checkered Linen, and Pink Daisy. Both are available from my CafePress Shop. If you'd like another look, here they are (click to see details):
Leah Killian has a beautiful Christmas Mini Album she's been sharing instructions for on her blog - it's beautiful! Well, now she's added a wonderful bonus: a $150 Give-A-Way of papercrafting kits, ribbons, rub-ons, & more. Just leave a comment on her blog & you will be entered. Good luck! :)
Just want to share with you all the three Christmas Blog Trains I've been downloading from this week. There are some very talented digital designers offering beautiful free kits for the Christmas season. Each of these sites will offer previews of the kits being shared and links to the individual designer sites where you can download them. If you're on dial-up, as I am, these pages can take a few to load, but is it ever worth it to see the vast selection of designs. Most of these sites will only have the links available through December 31st - so hurry! Have fun!
Worldwide Christmas Scrapbooking Freebies
Like most of you I am busy, busy, busy getting things done for Christmas. I wanted to give you all a little "gift" for Christmas, so have created an ultra-mini kit featuring beautiful poinsettias - one with glitter and one without. These are both png files with transparent backgrounds. They will look beautiful added to Christmas cards or in those Christmas layouts you will all be working on soon. I'd love to see how you use them, so please post a link in the comments where I can see your projects!
Merry Christmas!
Like much of the country, we are having quite the cold snap here. We reached a lovely ELEVEN degrees for the high today. It is currently THREE degrees. That is still warmer than Sunday morning's temp of ZERO. And it is supposed to get colder! Weather, however, is not something I like to hear complained about. Rather I see it as something to marvel at, and enjoy. God is so creative and gives us such a wonderful variety of diverse conditions here in North Idaho, and I can't help but enjoy each day. Today we were blessed with brilliant sunshine all day, which is all the brighter bouncing off the endless white snow. The sunset was gorgeous, and I just have to share it with you! Don't you love it?? :D
I've already shared how much I love shopping at Oriental Trading Company, & my recent order had a coupon in it for $10 off my next order. Well I looked a little closer and the coupon says "share this great offer with everyone!" So I am! :D
To get $10 off any order of $49 or more, use keycode NOVBB09 at checkout! Just click on the image below to go straight to OTC.
Just a reminder, today starts ScrapnArt's 12 Days of Christmas - I am heading there *real quick* before I go shovel! ;)
Yesterday morning we had a 1/2-inch of leftover, partially melted, frozen snow on the ground ... here is how it looks at my house this morning:
Isn't it beautiful?? That's my Jeep Patriot under a FOOT of new snow! Of course, now I am heading out the door to start hand-shoveling the walkway, the driveway, the trail to the woodshed, and my beloved mail trail. (I'll be sharing pics of my mail trail soon!) At least I won't have to do my Pilates workout today -- shoveling will be a great workout! (Bend - pull that tummy to the spine - keep that back straight - lift & throw!) ;D
Enjoy your day!!
Well I just read an awesomely inspirational entry on someone else's blog that I want to share with everyone. It is about GIVING ... even when you think you have nothing to really offer. I hope you all will take two minutes to read this, and will be blessed by it as I was.
(For those of you who are scrappers & paper crafters, you will find this even more interesting as it involves that amazing designer, Tim Holtz!)
I just received a wonderful package full of goodies from Oriental Trading Company - had a gift certificate last month I "had" to get used up. ;D I also receive their e-newsletter, and they are offering FREE shipping, NO minimum for a limited time. They have such awesome deals, and with all the scrapbooking items they've begun carrying, I just had to share this with you all. Just click the stack of scrapbook papers:
Just found out about a great bunch of fun on one of my favorite sites, Scrap n'Art. Starting tomorrow, the 13th, they will be having a 12 Days of Christmas countdown to Christmas Eve. Whether you are a paper scrapper, digi scrapper, card maker, or any kind of crafter, this promises to be a ton of fun. They will have demos and tutorials and freebies every day. And for those of you not familiar with Scrap n'Art, they have a digital magazine that is just amazing! It is huge, full of dozens and dozens of awesome scrapbooking layouts, ideas, and digi freebies. This is for any papercrafter/scrapbooker, not just digi scrappers. And it's FREE. Head over to their site and check it out!
Recently in my CafePress shops I added a "retro country linen" red-checkered design on a Flip Mino camcorder. I really did it just for fun and as an alternative to all the flashy modern designs available on this awesome little video cam. Amazingly, it has become one of my best-selling products this Christmas season. If you'd like to see the item that's "hot" for the holidays, check it out here:
I also have a beautiful Pink Daisy Flip Mino available:
While you're there, you may enjoy checking out my other CafePress shops - just start at CafePress.com/CariCreates!
You will often hear me refer to our home and small acreage as Moose Trail Acres. Years ago I dubbed our wonderful property this in honor of the many, many moose who stop by during the year. I never grow tired of seeing them lumber into the yard, oftentimes with a youngster in tow. We had an awesome bull moose pass through last month ...
After a record-setting winter last year, we are currently enjoying a bit of a respite - it's already December and while it is cooollld, we don't currently have any snow on the ground. As a native Northwesterner, I know better than to think it can't make up for lost time if it likes, but I am enjoying this special "treat" for now!
We had fog all day Monday, December 1st ... (love this shot!)
On Tuesday, December 2nd, we had a good bit of sunshine ...
On Wednesday, December 3rd, it was clear & sunny, but the day started out at a frosty 17 degrees Fahrenheit! brrrrrr!
While there was still frost on the ground, the wild turkeys made their daily visit to our yard, and while they usually kick around under our birdfeeders to find leftover seeds, I decided to try feeding them myself once ... WHAT FUN! I threw a few handfuls of squirrel food (mostly sunflower seeds & dried corn) to them, and they responded like tame chickens - albeit wary ones! :)
I hope you all are squeezing every last drop of enjoyment from whatever beauty God brings into your life each day. I came across this wonderful quote this week and included it in my Christmas letter ... I will end this blog entry with it:
EACH DAY IS A GIFT. UNTIE THE RIBBON.
And finally we have a download available! Click on the link below to get the free digital paper pack "Earthy Graffiti" ... and enjoy!
Download Earthy Graffiti Paper Pack
I have a preview of the paper pack mini-kit for you to see... the download will be available this afternoon!
