Comments and Digital Montages

2011-06-10T12:16:00.001-07:00

My secondary wheelchair, which was used mainly in the kitchen and watching TV, broke down and could not be repaired. I need a chair for mobility, due to knee arthritis, so I went on eBay and found an Ontario distributor. My new chair was delivered in 2 days! It's a little smaller but that is no bad thing in an apartment. Made me happy :-)

Stitch and Bitch

2011-06-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

My plant groups African Violets and Gesneriad and Cacti and Succulent are signing off for the summer so I revisited Stitch and Bitch with the encouragement of Elsie.

Had a really good time and it's right next the The Big Carrot mall. That's a win-win situation!

Onward

2010-10-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Not doing much in the way of graphics lately, although I've just found out how to do little movies on my iPhone and edit them with QuickTime Pro.

I'm a PC person but I'm sure getting pulled into the Apple world by my iPhone and it's apps.

My favourite apps fall into these broad categories.

Radio, including BBC Listener
Reading, including Kindle and Kobo apps.
Health, including diabetes apps and cooking apps

A Festival of Light

2009-12-26T06:34:00.000-08:00

A Festival of Light
for a Challenge on
Art Creations Friday

Florida Keys, Key Limes and Key to my Heart

2009-11-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

For Challenge #25
Keys
on
Three Muses

Two Dogs in Sepia

2009-11-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

Soartful

Man's Best Friend Challenge

I chose to enhance the dogs rather that ornament them.

Three Boys

2009-11-14T10:30:00.001-08:00

For Challenge #49
on
Art Creations Friday

Sea Lion - A Mythological Beast

2009-11-13T10:06:00.001-08:00

Done for a Challenge
on
Art on the Darkside

In a Dream - Blade Runner

2009-11-13T09:58:00.001-08:00

For a Challenge
on
Three Muses

Vintage Seed Packet Challenge

2009-11-11T04:12:00.001-08:00

Soartful Seed Packet Challenge

48 - Sailor Boy

2009-11-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

Done for Challenger #48
on
Art Creations Friday

Billy Can & Can't

2009-11-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

Done for the 'Pairs' challenge on Three Muses challenge

The Plaster-of-Paris figurines, showing a pair of boys on a chamber pots, date from the 1908 or earlier. They used to sit in my Aunt Gertie's washroom. Knowing that her health was failing she asked us each to pick a favourite item from her ornaments. Passing by the Royal Doulton's I chose "Billy Can and Can't.

They are Billikens With their pointy little heads, grinning faces, slitty eyes, round bellies and hands tightly pressed against the sides of their naked bodies, billikens were a craze. From about 1908 to 1911, Americans gave them as good luck charms in the form of tiny statues, postcards, coins and banks. My Billikens were probably given out as Carnival prizes.

In a Mirror - A ghost of time gone by

2009-11-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

Challenge #47 - In a Mirror - A ghost of time gone by
Done for a Art Creations Friday

Day of the Dead Remembrance Altar

2009-11-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

An altar in remembrance of My Aunt Gertie
Done for the Day of the Dead Challenge on
Art on the Darkside

I remember my Aunt Gertie well. She had standards. Her standards were the standards of her day and she applied them firmly and with an air of righteousness.

When she grew up and married my dad, my mother used to dread Gertie’s coming to visit the house. Gertie would check for dust and looked under things, She sought imperfections and found them! She would call these imperfections to my mother's attention. “Now, Phyllis, perhaps you didn't notice but there are dust bunnies under the couch...” etc. There must have been an orgy of housekeeping before she came to call or, God forbid, if there was an unexpected visit, despair. Gertie, however, was not given to unexpected visits. Her premise was “Let them do their best. I'll still find something wrong!”

She was a widow with no children. Her apartment was perfect. In the dining room there was an oak dining table and a glass-fronted case with bone china cups in it as well as the good dinner service and a tea set. Gertie never served coffee, only tea. She had a neat little kitchen and a sun room. The living room was the jewel. There were needlepoint chair cushions and framed needlepoint works hanging on the wall as you came up the stairs to enter the living room. These were not done by herself. She wasn’t a crafty person. Needlepoint was the accepted feminine art of the day so she collected some. The mantelpiece held Royal Doulton figurines, which used to fascinate me as a child. A beautiful oriental rug in tones of red and blue was on the living room floor. Everything in the room was ‘just as it should be’.

In the bathroom on the back of the toilet ledge there were two rather unusual antique Plaster of Paris figures of small boys sitting on chamber pots. One had a broad smile on his face and was labeled “Billy Can”. The other was sunk in gloom with a dejected frown on his face. He was labeled “Billy Can’t” When my Aunt, in her elder years was getting ready to go to a Home for the Aged she was giving away different things and she gave everyone their choice and I chose “Billy Can” and “Billy Can’t”. I still have them.

Rooster Booster

2009-10-31T10:21:00.000-07:00

Now, the story of Rooster Booster, my mother kept chickens and had a Victory Garden. It was part of the war effort to grow your own food. She started out with Bantam chickens which are very small. She had hens and a rooster and the hens laid tiny eggs. Later, she got some Leghorn chicks and they guaranteed that these chicks were all female but one of them slipped under the radar and and he was male, very much so. When those little chicks were growing up Rooster Booster, the Bantam, used to pick on that Leghorn rooster chick. He gave him such a hard time. Of course the Leghorn chicks got bigger. The Leghorn rooster started to get tall and lanky. As an adolescent he was still scared of the Bantam rooster who would chase him around. This little Bantie rooster chasing around this big old Leghorn was quite a funny sight to see. One fine day the Leghorn rooster realized that he was bigger! He turned on the Bantam and, well, that was the end of Rooster Booster. You could say that it was the end of tyranny or whatever you want but it was curtains for Rooster Booster.

Done for the "Chicken" Challenge
on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

The Dark of the Moon

2009-10-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

Done for a Halloween Challenge on
Art on the Darkside

The Green Man .

2009-10-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

Challenge 46
on Art Creations Friday

Halloween Spider

2009-10-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Soartful "Halloween" Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

Hungry Ghosts

2009-10-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

Done for a Halloween Challenge on
Art on the Darkside

The figure is that of Catrina
from the Mexican "Day of the Dead"

Challenge 45 - Gradient and Blend

2009-10-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

Challenge 45
on Art Creations Friday

3 Muses 'Hair' Challenge

2009-10-15T07:08:00.001-07:00

Done for the "Hair" Challenge
on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

Girl is from as free for use stock photo from Photoxpress
www.photoxpress.com/

Background by Temaristock, mostly handmade from private stock

From the Textures for Layers Pool

SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD

2009-10-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

Spider sits on Top of World

Halloween Decoration

2009-10-12T10:46:00.001-07:00

Done for the Halloween Decoration Challenge on
Art on the Darkside

The cat is a primitive cloth doll pattern

19 - Numerology

2009-10-12T09:28:00.001-07:00

Done for the Window Challenge #19
on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

Challenge 44

2009-10-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

Challenge 44

http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/

Texture by http://www.flickr.com/photos/34053291@N05/

Texture for Layers

Suitcase Challenge

2009-10-11T06:08:00.000-07:00

Soartful "Suitcase" Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

Bathing Beauty

2009-10-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

Challenge 43
on
http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/

Soartful Saturday - Midsummer Night's Dream

2009-10-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

Click to Enlarge

"Where the bee sups there sup I,
In a cowslip's bell I lie..."

Soartful "Midsummer Night's Dream" Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

Pele - Halloween Challenge

2009-09-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

Pele - Goddess of Fire

Halloween Challenge on
Art on the Darkside

Girl with Squirrel – Challenge #42

2009-09-26T07:57:00.001-07:00

Challenge 42
on
http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/

Night Window

2009-09-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Done for the Window Challenge #17
on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

When Adam Delved and Eve span

2009-09-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

"When Adam delved and Eve span
Who was then the gentleman...
John Ball

Challenge41
on
http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/

"Live Oaks" Challenge

2009-09-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

Click to Enlarge

Soartful "Live Oaks" Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

Pocketful of Fairies

2009-09-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Pocketful of Fairies
Done for Challenge
on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

The images are clips from a scrapbook kit.

Medicine Buddha with Rainbows

2009-09-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

Medicine Buddha with Rainbows
(c) Ani Thubten Jamyang Donma aka Catherine A. Brock & Associates

This is the work of my daughter who is a Buddhist and a stained glass designer.

Soartful Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

A Lesson in Time

2009-09-11T10:24:00.000-07:00

Challenge40
on
http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/

Lurking in the Shadows of a Memory

2009-09-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

For the 'Lurking in the Shadows' Challenge on
Art on the Darkside

Moon Fairy

2009-09-09T09:04:00.001-07:00

Done for Challenge
on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

Soartful fruit challenge

2009-09-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

2009-09-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

"Hang down your head Tom Dooley
Hang Down your head and cry
Hang Down your head Tom Dooley
Poor boy you're bound to die"

For the 'Black' Challenge on
Art on the Darkside

Red Riding Hood

2009-09-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

I used royalty-free clipart for the wolf, added some asters with a watercolour filter and a tree in the background with a gradient applied with soft light. The Riding Hood was filled with flowers using Edit/Fill/Pattern in Photoshop with red touches painted in. The hardest part was cutting the figure of the girl out from the murky background. I used the Photoshop Levels adjustment to add some colour to the girl and her dress is a softened gradient.
The frame is from Filters Unlimited

Challenge 39
on
http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/

2009-09-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

Done for Challenge
on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

Razamatazz

2009-08-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

2009-08-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

Swan Lake

Challenge 38
on
http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/

2009-08-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Angel/Fairy rides a Moth

Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

Hands of Glory

2009-08-26T09:06:00.001-07:00

Early Halloween and Hands of Glory entry

Done for Challenge
on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea

2009-08-23T08:12:00.001-07:00

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar….

(Guitar 1950 Gibson ES5 from the collection of Danny Marks)
Cat is from my own sketch of Bitsy, my New York cat.

Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

Testing

2009-08-21T13:38:00.001-07:00

This is a test of the new Windows Live Writer

which allows me to post content from my desktop

2009-08-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Mother Nature takes a Nap
Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

2009-08-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

2009-08-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

Done for Challenge #11 - Things with Wings

http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

2009-08-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

Done for Challenge #10 - Hats

http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

2009-08-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

Done for Challenge #36
on
http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/

Art in the Round

2009-08-05T05:46:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE

2009-08-04T05:27:00.000-07:00

Depp because he makes me believe the fantastic

Inspirational People Challenge on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

2009-08-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

Bird Quilt - multiple filters

Done for a Challenge on
Artarazzi

2009-08-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

Fairy Folk are from Dover Free Images

Background is from a Challenge on
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

Created in Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro

2009-07-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

A Dream of Red Leaves

Done for a Challenge on
Artarazzi

2009-07-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

Fire Fairy and her familiar Owl

Owl and background are from
http://artfreebies.blogspot.com/

Modified image created in Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro
The Fire Fairy is from Creative Commons image

2009-07-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

Alice in Wonderland Montage

Done for a Challenge on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

2009-07-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

Saki Barrels
Done for a Challenge on
Artarazzi

2009-07-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

Done for Challenge 35
on
Art Creations Friday

Poster Edges Filter in Photoshop
Ornamentation in Paint Shop Pro 9

2009-07-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

"I dreamt I dwelled in marbe halls,
In a little short skirt and a bowler hat...."

Done for a Challenge on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

2009-07-11T08:22:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge on
Artarazzi

from a Paint Shop Pro Tutorial by Daiva
Deep in Thought
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Designs_by_Daiva/

2009-07-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

Maude Allan

Done for Challenge 34
on
Art Creations Friday

Maude Allan was famous for her performance of the
Dance of the Seven Veils in the play Salome by Oscar Wilde

2009-07-08T05:24:00.000-07:00

Free at Last!
Freiheit

Done for a Challenge on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

2009-07-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

Victorian Child Angel

from a Paint Shop Pro Tutorial by Daiva
Vintage Elegance
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Designs_by_Daiva/

2009-07-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge on

Artarazzi

Multiple Backgrounds and Brushes
In Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop

2009-07-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of my effects from Tutorials for email stationery done in Paint Shop Pro.

Some of the groups I am following currently are:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/united_tut_writers_inc/

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Saqqara_Tutorials/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Designs_by_Daiva/?yguid=369287580

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/FrogkidCreations/

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LismibaebisCreations

2009-07-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

Silent Star
Take Two
Done for Challenge 33
on
Art Creations Friday

2009-07-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

Silent Movie
Done for Challenge 33
on
Art Creations Friday

Effect 4: Art Media/Brush Strokes (not default)
Effect 5: Edge Effect/Enhance More
Effect: 6: Eye Candy 3.1 Glow (not default)
Effect 7: Xero/Porcelain to soften any too obvious lines or sharp edges.

Plus Geometric Effect\Perspective\Horizontal
and Texture Effect\Mosiac-Antique both in Paint Shop Pro

2009-07-01T05:17:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

The theme was flying and the antique zeppelin, dirigible or airship in this ATC
seemed suitable.

2009-06-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge on
Artarazzi

Sunflower with Aztec Sun God and Cars

It'll be a long, hot summer for the auto industry
with more than one dealership offered up
on a sacrificial altar.

2009-06-26T14:12:00.000-07:00

Done for Challenge 32
on
Art Creations Friday

How it was done using Paint Shop Pro

I started with the vintage picture of a lady from France
with the background made transparent

Made a new layer and then did Arrange/Move to bottom

Select all.

Pasted into selection a background picture
Effect 1: Applied default Seamless Tile to this background layer

Then applied Gaussian Blur 15

Then on to the Effects.

Effect 2: Simple/Diamonds
Effect 3: 4 Way Average

Added a new Layer above background
Did Flood Fill with selected light color from tube.
Reduced opacity to 50%

Merged down

Buttonized the whole to make it look a bit like a French postcard.

Working on the top layer tube now.

Effect 4: Art Media/Brush Strokes (not default)
Effect 5: Edge Effect/Enhance More
Effect: 6: Eye Candy 3.1 Glow (not default)
Effect 7: Xero/Porcelain to soften any too obvious lines or sharp edges.
Effect 8: VM Natural Sparkle (not default)

Added Border 25 pixels in white

Selected with magic wand and pasted pattern previously created from the Background

Into the frame.

Effect 9: for frame: Eye Candy 3.1 Glass at various settings

2009-06-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

Tutorial

Old Bottles

2009-06-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge on
http://www.innographx.com/

2009-06-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge on
Artarazzi

I was playing with the angles and Muliply in Photoshop & Paint Shop Pro
The Ladder photo is there as a background,
Best see by clicking on the picture.

2009-06-20T08:04:00.001-07:00

Done for a Challenge on
Art Creations Friday

I had just finished a Tutorial by Frogkid Creations
and I decided to use scraps from another kit to create
a design with the current Challenge as a background.

2009-06-17T18:33:00.001-07:00

Egyptian tomb door on a fan.
Fan from an Action by Panosfx
Done for a Challenge on
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com/

2009-06-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

Lucy in the sky
Done for a Challenge on
http://artarazzi.blogspot.com/

2009-06-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

The rough texture of the Challenge from http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/ is there.
It's under the petunias and is also used as a texture with the petunias
A more natural view of the petunias is pasted on the bottom left corner.

Credit for the tutorial goes to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Gamocks_Creations_and_Tuts/

2009-06-12T12:44:00.001-07:00

Mona Lisa as a model
Done for a challenge at
http://thethreemuseschallenge.blogspot.com

2009-06-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

Done for a Challenge at http://artarazzi.blogspot.com/

I used a Fanned Rectangle Mask in Paint Shop Pro for the picture and
Reflection Effects/Kaleidoscope for the frame

2009-06-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Challenge from Art Creations Friday

Credit for masks and ornament go to

http://www.essexgirl.uk.com/default.htm
and
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Gamocks_Creations_and_Tuts/
for the excellent masks and ornaments

Both are worth checking out Essex Girl for all kinds of Paint Shop Pro goodies
and Gamocks for excellent PSP Tutorials.

I work in both Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro.

Sonia

2009-05-31T10:20:00.001-07:00

Old Map of Ireland

Art Creations Friday Challenge

2009-05-31T09:45:00.000-07:00

Mysterious Moorish Door Challenge
http://artarazzi.blogspot.com/

2009-05-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

Challenge 27: Art Creations Friday

Ribbons and Bows

2009-05-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

http://artarazzi.blogspot.com/

Challenge

Lady with bird's nest

2009-04-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Lady with bird's nest
Blog Challenge Entry
http://artarazzi.blogspot.com/

2009-02-25T10:03:00.000-08:00

An Irish Maiden

The memoir is done

2008-11-04T03:33:00.000-08:00

The memoir is done. Helped by a good friend it was edited and I sent it to Lulu.com for printing.
I've started work on my mother's memoir notes and will, eventually, self-publish that.

After a brief affair with Incredimail I've decided that it is basically a tarted-up version of Outlook Express which I have no real need for except for one friend in England who uses it.

My Scots friend living in England also got me interested in Corel Paint Shop Pro, although my main studies have been in Photoshop. I do not regret buying PSP. It has some interesting features.

Getting ready to buy some additional computer hardware to expand and improve my present system. Mainly, I want a second hard drive that I can ghost my system on it as an ongoing backup. Have to study on it.

Meanwhile, I'm still going graphical challenges such as the graphic here done for the Down Under Challenge on Flickr.

August 3, 2008

2008-08-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

Spend the morning editing my family transcripts for inclusion in the book I am building at http://www.blurb.com
When it's done I will have it printed for friends and family and a few Podcast listeners. There's a fellow in Mexico who wants a copy.

The afternoon was spent getting some PayPal shopping cart buttons up on the site of my friend and client, Danny Marks.

Now, with any luck I'll get in a half hour on online wargaming (Guild Wars) before I settle down to the software tutorials I'm taking on Lynda.com

"Sour"

2008-07-04T14:27:00.001-07:00

Lemon Tree

"Fierce" Temple Lion

2008-06-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

"Hoard" Challenge for Illustration Friday

2008-06-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hoard??? I thought you wanted a Horde!!

Punchline

2008-06-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

Irish punchline

Forgotten - Tom Dooley

2008-06-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

What may have been 'forgotten' about Tom Dooley is

1. He was a very fine fiddle player

2. He probably wasn't guilty of the crime he was accused of

BABY: Digital Montage

2008-06-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

BABY

- Done for Illustration Friday

Check out my Podcasts on

"A Storied Life"