Ames Point

I found some fun how-to's online for making frames for your photos in Photoshop Elements. I had to play a little. :) This is a picture taken of Lake Winnebago last weekend when we were out walking on Ames Point. I love the trail of the sun on the water. Not bad for a point and click, eh?

In case anyone is wondering, I did go to the podiatrist and didn't leave with any magic answers. She was convinced the swelling on my right foot was due to thyroid problems and promptly sent me to the lab to have blood drawn to prove it. Yeah, well, she was wrong. My thyroid is fine. So, back to the drawing board.... or in this case, physical therapy. It just never seems to end! Thankfully I don't have any pain with the swelling.

I hope you're enjoying the nice fall weather!

Sketch Challenge Participants & Winner

Here are links to all of the gals who participated in my sketch challenge (well, the ones who linked back here anyhow!):

1. Katie (Just Me)
2. Danni
3. Kim
4. Scrappin' Java
5. Katie (Paper Make Up)
6. Laurel
7. Cheri
8. Lorie
9. Scrap Mum


And the random winner for this challenge is:

Congratulations, Katie (Just Me)! Email your address to me (sairabee at yahoo dot com) and I'll get your gifty out to you!

Thanks to everyone who played along. Look for another fun sketch the second Friday in November!

BOO!

LOL! You'd think by the looks on their faces that they didn't see my standing in front of them for the last five minutes trying to get Jack to look at the camera. It's as if I just appeared in a big puff of smoke and scared the crap out of both of 'em. hee hee.

Howdy Partner!

I think I've mentioned a time or two how much I enjoy participating in the various challenges that are always being issued out there in blog land. Of all the challenges, I think the sketch challenges are my favorite, and of all the sketch artists, I seem to gravitate to Julee Tilman and Taylor VanBruggen the most. I just love their ideas, and I love to play along with their sketches because they are very unique. It has been some time since I've done a Mojo Monday sketch... well, let me rephrase that.... It has been some time since I've SHARED a Mojo Monday sketch! I've done a few of them that I didn't think were blog-worthy, but I'm happy to report that my mojo *seems* to be creeping back out of the shadows. Here is the sketch for this week:

As soon as I saw the sketch, I thought of Cowboy Billy, and this fun bandana paper I have been hoarding for just the right moment (purchased at Hobby Lobby, by The Paper Studio). Here is what I came up with:

Check out the edges of the Billy image. I thought it would be cool to burn the edges, to make it look like those old wanted posters. I held my image over the kitchen sink and started to bring my lighter thingy toward it when it occurred to me that the image had been colored with alcohol based ink.... A LOT of alcohol based ink. All of a sudden visions of the whole image going up in a puff of smoke and me being left eyebrowless filled my head. LOL. I decided to take my operation outside. At least then the house would be saved if the whole thing went up in blaze of glory. (Tangent.... how many of you are singing Bon Jovi in your head now that I said that?) In the end, it was fine. The flame didn't get away from me, and I think it made for a cool little edge on my cowboy. :o) Here's a close-up:

Isn't Billy adorable? He is by Pink Cat Studio, but I bought him from Mandy over at Limelight Papercrafts. Be sure to take a look at her stuff - she always seems to have some kind of sale going, which is part of why I love her so much. ;o) hee hee.

Anyhow, I hope y'all like my little cowboy!

October Desktop

I thought I'd share my October desktop image today. You can download a new desktop template from The Shabby Princess every month, and then just use Photoshop (or some other photo editing software) to add your pictures, save it, and voila. All kinds of cuteness for a whole month. Or, if you're like me and forget to do it until the 15th, then you only get it for a half of a month.... but I did get to enjoy September's for a month and a half. Ok, I'll stop now. :)

This image is full sized - I didn't shrink it for the web. So, if any family or friends are reading this and would like it for their own desktop, feel free to use it. All you have to do is click on the image to enlarge it, then right click and select the "Save as Desktop Image" option.

In other news, I have an appointment with the podiatrist today. Almost one year ago to the day, I was diagnosed with bursitis in one foot and tendonitis in the other. My right (tendonitis) foot has been swollen ever since. The podiatrist I saw last year said the swelling was due to my pregnancy, and that it would go away after I gave birth. Well, Jack is going on seven months old now and nothing has changed. I've been to physical therapy, but that doesn't help either. So, I'm going back. New podiatrist, new hospital, hopefully a new solution... and this time maybe it will be one that works. Because this whole bit about both feet killing you for a year straight is for the birds... especially when you're trying to keep up with a baby and a toddler. They did give me two shots of cortizone last time (one in each foot), but that only lasted so long. And really, I feel like it was just to mask the pain, not solve the problem. Think happy thoughts for a smart doctor for me, ok? :) Thanks!

Every Leaf's A Flower

I was recently surprised with a HUGE envie full of images from my blogger friend Michelle. She had won some images on my blog awhile back, and said she had been meaning to get an envie out to thank me (totally unnecessary, by the way!), and what a nice surprise it was! Thanks so much, Michelle! I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

This image and sentiment were both in the envie she sent me. I have no idea what company makes either one, but I think they are both awesome. I love fall, and I love random sentiments (especially quotes) more. These two work so well together. Speaking of quotes, THIS is my favorite website for them. Dr. Robins and I have emailed back and forth a few times - nice guy. Check it out if you have a minute. I've been referencing it for years, and have found many a signature quote on that page!

OK, back to the card. Take a lookie at my weathered bucket! I am so pleased with the way it turned out. I was originally planning on doing a grey bucket, but then decided to think outside of the box...err, bucket, and go with brown. Don't even ask me how I got the shading to work, because I couldn't even tell you. I just did, and that makes me happy. :o)

The patterned paper is new, from Stampin' Up! and it's called Washington Apple. Don't you just love it? I think it is a beautiful color combination with the Riding Hood Red, So Saffron, and Pumpkin Pie. The ribbon is SU! as well, in Riding Hood Red. When I first saw my spool, I was a little disappointed at the white edges, but now that I see it on a card I really like it. I think it all works so well together. I cut a few leaves out of a scrap of the same paper to make the little embellishment. After cutting them out, I sponged the edges with Pumpkin Pie ink, and then added the amber dew drop for a little dimension.

It kind of looks like a little flower, doesn't it? That totally wasn't my intent, but it works well with the quote, so it's all good!

So what do you think? Comments are always welcomed and appreciated!

I *heart* Photoshop

Because really, where else can you turn this:


Into this:



Isn't that a cute picture? Much better than the original, if I do say so myself! I used the "Shazam" technique I learned from Jessica Sprague's blog (mentioned it a number of posts ago). I can't wait to learn more tricks, and get a new camera. Just think of the possibilities! :)

This photo was taken last weekend when we were walking out on Ames Point. It was such a beautiful day, and the fall colors were gorgeous. I have more pictures to share, but it will have to wait for another day since the boys are up from their naps!

Do you Papoo?

I love Henry and his Papoo. I just had to share. :)

Just A Note

Today is another CBC Challenge day! This week's challenge is a sketch challenge, and I actually drew this one. Did I mention I love drawing up these sketches? I think it's fun. Weird, I know. Anyhow, here is the sketch for this week:



The sketch is actually taken from the Witchybella card I made and posted a month or so back. I thought it was a fun layout, and wanted to see what other people could do with it.

For this card, I decided to use one of the Magnolia images my blogger friend Kimmie sent me. I have been contemplating the purchase of Ms. Magnolia for some time, and was on the fence. In all honesty I really wanted some in the worst way until another blogger friend who shall remain nameless pointed out to me that they are faceless little girls. You know me and my drawbacks with stamps. As if I need one more thing to be bothered by. lol!

But now that I've played with one image, I think I'm ready to buy... faces or not. ;o) And can I just say how much I love the coloring job on this little chica? I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I really thing it's my best blending to date. This paper is AMAZING for blending. The best ever - hands down. I emailed Kimmie right away to find out what it was, and she couldn't remember (grrr! hee hee... just kidding, Kimmie... sort of). All she knows is that she bought it at Michael's. I'm still investigating that one.

Anyhow, I ended up flipping the sketch a little bit, but here is my card for today:


The blue is Soft Sky with white clouds sponged on using my Craft White pad. I couldn't get a good picture of the clouds but you can see them a little bit. The "grass" is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder, and then snipped at the top. I cut some of the main image out with my exacto knife so her arms could go over the grass. And in my head, the wide brown ribbon is kinda like a tree.

So, there you have it! Be sure to click on the other CBC Chick's links in my sidebar to see more fun cards. And if you play along, link your card to Courtney's post for this week and maybe you'll win a little prize!

The Little Farmer

We took the boys to The Little Farmer last weekend. Grandma likes to go every year to buy apples for her pies, and we get our pumpkins while we're there, too. They have hayrides and some animals, and a playground, but Jack isn't too keen on patience at this age, so we didn't take too much time enjoying those things. We just did our pumpkin search and found our apples and squash and called it a day. The bees were crazy that day anyhow, so no one was too upset. Well, except Henry... who thought the whole day should be spent with the goats. Go figure.

This is one of the first things I saw when I walked into the pumpkin patch. I thought it was hilarious, and had to share it with you!


Here is Henry with Grandma, near the animal area. It just occurred to me that I didn't get any pictures of the goats! *gasp* And in case you haven't noticed on previous posts, this is Henry's cheesy grin of the year.



Choosing the right pumpkin is a tricky ordeal. Some people test produce by smelling it. Some try to squeeze it, some roll it, some sit on it...

Another big draw for Henry is a water feature. ANY water feature!


Me with my little pumpkin. :o)



Henry with the Grandmas...


And where was Jack through all of this? Why, in his stroller of course! And as always, his Kammi doll was near by!


I hope you enjoyed your tour through the pumpkin patch! :)