Mandarin Orange Monday

This is my first attempt at a digital painting ... pretty basic, but it was fun :)

Photo Art Friday

I have often turned photos into paintings because I love the effect.  But, this week I decided to experiment a little more and make it more interesting.  A friendly blogger gave me the names of several free editing programs on the net, so I played with those as well.  I am happy with the results mainly because I love my model ... she is my granddaughter.  So here we go ...

Two totally different looks.  Two totally differend effects.  And one beautiful Granddaughter ... (Spoken like a typical Grandma)

Photo Art Friday

Photo Art Friday, June 15th - 17th

Negative Space ...

This portrait I did last winter.  To capitalize on negative space I used Photoshop "cut out" then Magic Extractor.  The background is Pixel Dust Photo Art's pdpa bleu en bleu with a gradient fill layer at 46%.  I used Stroke Selection for the border effects.

I find this very exciting.  I love photo art work and have dabbled in it on my own, but this gives me direction and I am already learning about tools.  Thank you Pixel Dust Photo Art! 

Friendship Friday

Food For Thought
Weekends don’t count unless you spend them
Doing something completely pointless.
Bill Watterson

Question Of The Week
What’s your favorite way to spend the weekend?
Do you have anything special planned for this weekend?
What are your favorite weekend activities?
Share your thoughts!

The only thing that happens at my house every weekend is Izzi's Agility Class.  I guess that defines my weekend, because I otherwise don't do weekends.  The fact is, I am retired ... every day is a weekend day now.  I can choose what I want to do (for the most part) and do it as long as I want (sort of) any day of the week.  The only time I consider weekends is when I am doing something with somebody who works and they are operating on the weekend.  

Izzi's Agility class is my favorite weekend activity.  We both love going to class together and we have some good friends there, both human and furry.  Some weekends we have Agility Trials which is what all of the class work is about.  Izzi goes out and does her thing (with me tottering along behind her) and we hopefully qualify for points toward a championship that probably won't happen in my lifetime.  The whole idea is to have fun ... and that is what we do. 

I do a lot of other things on my every day weekend days.  I love photography, so I go out whenever I can to wherever I can to take pictures of whatever I find.  Then I come home, download, sort, delete (I don't delete nearly enough according to my hard drive) and then make things or post things or print pictures, usually for other people.  I also like to dabble with my pictures ... being creative in ways as I play with them on Photoshop.  I posted some of my creations on Page 2 of my Blog that I am certain nobody has looked at ... hint, hint.  

I also love to garden, though I have admittedly gotten off to a slow start this year.  That is another of my weekend day activities.  I plant flowers that will attract different kinds of birds and butterflies.  This year I am planting a garden on my hill to attract the Monarch Butterfly ...  a Monarch Waystation, if you will,  to provide the nector and habitat necessary for them to reproduce successive generations to sustain their migration to California and Mexico.

I know there are many more things I stumble into as I look to fill my many weekend days, but for the purpose of today's Friendly Friday, I think I have said enough.  Enjoy your weekend ...   

Julie's Coffee Shop

Julie's Coffee Shop ... Again!
I have taken you to Julie's Coffee Shop before, but there is always another opportunity to visit Julie.  Today is a special event.  Julie is going to turn McGuffy Ann's Cast into  a piece of Art.  It is just fun to be with Julie because she is such a delight, but she is also a kind, giving person and when we asked if she could paint Annie's cast, she was excited to do it.  We had no idea how awesome it would be.  She makes it look so easy and yet the end result is ... pure talent.  Watch in  and enjoy ...

Annie knew she wanted something from Arizona, but they discussed the possibilities.  Annie asked if she could do the Shaman statue (the Ascension of the Shaman)
in the Mayo Gardens that she had fallen in love with ... had a spiritual connection with.   It represented the Native American beliefs on spiritual transition ... she was, to Annie, a symbol of the changes she was having to go through to regain her ability to walk.   Julie didn't flinch ... she looked at pictures and started right in.

The canvas (cast)

Other customers came over to see what we were doing that was so much fun ...

All done, right ... not a chance.  A few more finishing touches and ...





Voila ... the finished Product.  Fabulous!!!

Thank you Julie ... you are the best!