Photos and Stories

Month: April 2020

Zucchini Noodles

By

On April 26, 2020

In Scrapbooking

With the need to stay home now, I’m experimenting more in the kitchen. I made a new recipe for marinara last week. I bought some frozen zucchini noodles and a little box of pasta for Bill. The marinara was very good, but the frozen zoodles were mushy. I probably microwaved them too long. That $4 bag was not even enough for one of us.

It didn’t take a long search online for me to find just the right tool. A young woman at Target brought it right out to my car that afternoon.

My new toy easily cut long noodles. Then I sauteed a T of butter, T of olive oil, shallots, garlic, red pepper, 1/4 cup white wine, 3T lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, shrimp and the zucchini noodles in a skillet. I knew I had a winner when Bill said the zucchini noodles were better than pasta. He wants them again

Template and Photos
  • Open file 3 from Simple FotoBlendz Album No. 4 and place on a new blank 12×12 document.
  • Reduce the size of all layers except the text boxes.
  • Shift the layers to the right.
  • Delete stain layers as desired or clip a photo to the stain. (I deleted one stain, clipped the photo to two and recolored one.
  • Adjust journaling.
  • Clip photos to small frames and FotoBlendz mask.
  • Place button below the thread and add a drop shadow.
Artsy Transfer
  • Open file 3 from Artsy Transfers Delicious.
  • Place below the template layers.
  • Delete and/or mask layers that conflict with the template design.
Embellish
  • Place Transfer 11 from ArtPlay Palette Delicious on the right.
  • Add two copies of Overlay from ArtPlay Palette Delicious, one on the left below the title and the other on the right.
  • Place word art from StoryStarters WordART Mix No. 2.
  • Add a color overlay to the wood word art. Change blend mode to Multiply at 100%. Add a drop shadow.

I’ve got to say there are two new things I’m loving about being home: pick up at Target and this Spiralizer. I bought some butternut squash to try next with my new marinara recipe.

Trust

By

On April 17, 2020

In Photography, Scrapbooking

The snow weighed heavily this morning, making it look like white blooms covered everything. While I’m waiting to get beyond this moment, I’m trusting God. The contrast between the weight of this morning’s snow and the flowers I photographed in March spoke to me about waiting and trusting God.

Frame a Photo
Expand Background with Transfer
Blend Photo into Background
  • Place snow photo below the transfer and to the left of framed photo.
  • Add a layer mask to erase and blend edges. Change the blend mode to Luminosity at 80%.
  • Duplicate the photo layer. Change the blend mode to Soft Light at 80%.
Embellish
  • Open psd file 4 from MultiMedia Flowers No. 8. Place above framed photo. Turn off the flower included with this psd file.
  • Replace the flower and shadow with the flowers from psd file 3. Reduce size and position.
  • Add word art “trust” from Faith WordART Mix No. 1 just below the multimedia flowers.
  • Add journaling.

Flattening the Curve

By

On April 12, 2020

In Scrapbooking

Wide blue tape marks where to stand for check out, barriers funnel people away from one another, black taped lines with arrows indicate one way aisles and special shopping hours for seniors encourage social distancing in an effort to flatten the curve. I try to shop as little as possible and wear a mask when I do go out. I appreciate the efforts that stores are making to protect everyone. However, it feels weird to take photos of signs now when I would like to be out capturing some tulips.

Design with a Brush

I began planning this page with a brush of the virus. It’s large, but right now this pandemic feels large as it consumes my life. Finishing the page was easy.

Color Brush with ArtsyKardz

Use the jpeg versions of ArtsyKardz Disquiet MultiPack to add color to the brush file.

  • Duplicate brush 5 and change the blend mode to Linear Blend. This copy will serve as the pattern for the ArtsyKardz layers.
  • Place jpeg file 1 from ArtsyKardz Disquiet MultiPack just below the top brush copy. Change the blend mode to Multiply with the opacity set to 100%. Use the warp tool to fit it to the shape of the brush.
  • Next, place the jpeg file 2 on the left of the brush.
  • Return to the top copy of the brush and use the Lasso Tool to make a rough copy of the left side of the brush. With the marching ants still active, click the jpeg file 2 layer and then the add a new layer mask. An inverted mask will appear. Leave the blend mode for this layer on Normal.
  • Add a Gaussian blur to the layer, about 20px.
  • Repeat process with another copy of jpeg file 2 for the part of the brush on the right. Change the blend mode to Linear Burn and reduce opacity to 75%.
Add Frames
Experiment

Initially, I thought that I’d use the sold gray paper from ArtPlay Palette Disquiet and only add Artsy Transfers. But after playing I realized that Artsy Paper 4 provided a nice background for my journaling and blended well with the brush.

Open psd file 8 from COVID-19 WordART Mix No. 1.

  • Drag layers just below text boxes.
  • Use the warp tool to fit the thread to the photo grouping.
  • Move the letters back into place on the thread.

Create a visual triangle of color

  • Place layers of file 5 from ArtsyTransfers Disquiet to the right of the title.
  • Reduce the opacity of the paper layer to 50%.

Keep Calm

By

On April 5, 2020

In Photography, Scrapbooking

Am I anxious during this pandemic? My iPhone usage has gone up 30%. I’ve made lists. I’ve ordered from my lists for delivery and pick-up. This week I researched how to make a cotton mask on the web. That involved locating thread, elastic and cotton fabric. After a few failures, I’ve finally created a working mask design. I am waiting for shipments of elastic so that I can finish.

My iPhone asked me this morning whether I wanted to set limits on my usage. “No,” my inner voice yelled, “you’re keeping me organized so I can keep calm and carry on.

I am currently photographing close to home, i.e. sewing a cotton face mask. For this page:

This morning I wrote my journaling as I try to find order and a new routine, a bit of an oxymoron during a pandemic.

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