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I had to wrap up to go outside today. It was worth it to sit observing and listening to all the Robins out in the trees. Once again I used Carole's punches, and corner punch. Played with some frames around the photo. Photo block technique on the main photo. I replicated Carole's newest Admission ticket. Created my own tokens.

I've had pets all my life. A dog when I was a wee thing, then cats, cats, and more cats. Then in 2004 I got my very own dog (from friends who had to give her up). I was blessed because she was such a good girl. Since then, there have been other pooches, and I presently have three small ones. One is "mine", and the other two are long-term fosters who will be with me till the end. This layout is for My Girl, the first dog I got. Her name when she came to me was Anna, but a friend said, "No, that's not right. She's too glamorous; her name should be Lana, like Lana Turner". And that's what it became. I've had temporary foster dogs, cats until last year (and still missing having at least one), and can't imagine a life without some wee critters. They can be a lot of work, but the joy they bring is worth it.

Oh so much to look at. Love it. I like both framing techniques. The photo block; is the "frame" part cut out to reveal the background? Same with the S in Snow, it has a nice little separation with the R in Robins. That must've been exciting to have that many Robins all at once. Edit: I see the photo block is a mask, the other comments came in as I was typing the first questions. And the answer to the S as well. Thank you, it's nice to turn the computer on and see such wonderful eye candy. Good for the soul and no calories!

I did that on purpose, on occasion I will remove one of the outer blocks placing it away from its slot, and tilt it slightly. Adding a shadow to the technique allows me to do that. To me it isn't any different from a jigsaw puzzle. Carole has a script, I create my own. It was one of the very first tutorials I learnt when I joined the campus. It's really easy, using a Mask.

Good morning, and thank you. I must admit that I have never used alphas, only fonts. The font is called wooden brench. I applied the impasto script to it, which I won some time ago. In order for the letter S to sit comfortably in the letter R I used from vector shape, expanded, then deleted part of the letter R.

So vintage and classic.

They were forecasting snow for today, so yesterday I decided to take a drive to the areas where I knew I'd be guaranteed to see Native Crocus. As for today, it is snowing with 70km winds, which has also blown in a large flock of migratory Robins, up to a hundred I'd say. Large Flocks of Robins always turn up on snowy days at this time of year. Some will stay, but the majority are only passing through. Thank goodness, as I wouldn't be able to afford to feed them all throughout the summer. 😉 Pulsatilla nuttalliana, known as prairie pasqueflower or prairie crocus. The first of the native flowers to bloom.

Sue - but plaids are so much fun to make!!! LOL Thanks for the tip on the block photo. Just downloaded the Block Photo tutorial. Thanks. Interesting. Watched the video.

Cheers! Several little details, which doesn't over crowd, or make the layout appear busy, to distract from the photos, yet makes the viewer's eye wander, to absorb the whole page. Although the Masterclasses are great, and I love them. I have always and still do prefer the tutorials in what was the creative scrap, and now called the Lab. Even though a greal deal of the tutorials are available as scripts. I enjoy creating my own elements. Even though I rarely use patterned papers, I have created templates for all of the paper template tutorials in the creative scrap and Lab. My least favourite patterned paper is plaid. The Robins are still here, I doubt they will move on until the weather is more favourable.

Both, I don't have the script. I like to create my own.

Hi Sue. What a charming layout! Can you tell me if the title "ROBINS" is a font or an alpha? It's very interesting.

What a difference in two days, yesterday I was in jeans and T shirt. I did cover up to lay on the ground taking photos of the crocus. I still came back with 2 ticks on me. Today -1c I bet the horses are cursing me for brushing out their winter coats. Crows are very inteligent, and will soon have you very well trained.

Later in life, my library in Warwick was updated and even won an award for Best Small Library in America in 2016. It is beautiful but I'm back at Thrall since I've moved to Middletown in my retirement. Here's Albert Wisner Library in Warwick and its award along with another shot of Middletown's Thrall Library.

When I moved to New York State, I worked in Middletown at the local newspaper and used the Thrall Library. I was thrilled to find it was a big, converted train station with impressive architecture. The library in my own town was rather small and in need of expansion, but I used it weekends to take my grandchildren out to borrow a book, visit the local petting zoo and treat them to a Burger King. Here are photos of each. The first one is Warwick and the second Thrall in Middletown, NY

When I was young, we lived in a commuter-friendly town in New Jersey since my Dad was chief night dispatcher on the Erie Railroad (now Amtrak) and had to be near the trains. We had a little library and once I got a bike I would ride there with books in my basket. I looked for photos of my old library but all I could find were vintage postcards! I guess I'm vintage, too! The town of Rutherford has since updated their library, so it doesn't look like this anymore.

The county I live in has a public library. The main branch is in my town which is the county seat. The library is right across the street from the courthouse. There are 5 other branches in smaller towns in the county. The other town which is about the same size as mine (and wanted to be the county seat back in 1848 when the county was formed) has their own library not associated with the county library. I had my own library card as a kid and would borrow books quite often as did Mom. She loved to read. I had to get an updated card 10 years ago when I got my first Kindle. I borrow books using it from a state wide ebook project. My library is a member of that project so I can borrow any ebooks, audiobooks, digital magazines and video that they have available. All of the branches have activities for young and old and everyone in between! Most activities have specific times they are available. Some of them are tech help, science club, book club, storytime, time to play euchre, various craft nights and even escape rooms! They also have a group for knitters and crocheters! I participated in it for awhile... knitted a lot of scarves for me! My favorite part of our library is the genealogy section. When I started researching 30 years ago, I would go there to look at all the microfilm of old newspapers and genealogical records since nothing was online at that time. They even have a lot of books and family histories that have been donated over the years. Even now with all the genealogical information available online, there is still information that cannot be found online. When the library did a remodel several years ago, they moved the genealogical section into a room that has a locked door and it has a camera that the workers can monitor it when someone is in there. Quite often materials would disappear when it was out in the open. The genealogy society got this area started and the library was kind enough to give them the room for the information back in the late 70's/early 80's. From a small corner to a room of its own, it has really grown. It does get a lot of visitors from out of town as well!

Week 15 At last I managed to get a half way decent photo of a goldfinch – two of them waiting for me to stop peering at them so that they can get on with eating the Niger seeds.

Susan, look who showed up today. A sharp-shinned Hawk. My resident Merlin has now got some competition. Mind you, there's more than enough House Sparrows for them. Sheltering under the lilac hedge, with the Robins. It's still snowing and blowing. I'm yet to get a shot of the Merlin.

One thing to remember is that a lot of older plugins were 32-bits and PSP2023 is only 64-bits so all those old plugins won't work in that version. That is the reason many PSP users are keeping an older version, just to use those old plugins. AKVIS has several plugins that work with PSP2023. Eye Candy can work although it is not 100% compatible with PSP: it won't add the effects on separate layers like it should (and does in Photoshop). Topaz also work for photo effects. Filter Forge is often my go-to plugin since it includes so many filters. In general, except for Filter Forge, I rarely use plugins. Others might chime in with additional plugins that work. But in the meantime, see if you can keep an older version of PSP to use those older plugins.

Not here, temp dropped last night to-13c. Still high winds with blowing snow. I've not long come in from taking pics of a lo several Robinsl cwtched up under the lilac hedge.

Hahaha, crows are much smarter than me! Even the cats rule over me. Our snow melted in a day with highs in the mid teens. Today at 7am it was -10 c But the sun is up so it should hit mid-high teens today I hope.

Also, is the Photo Block technique from a script or tutorial?

Having the pic on the top right on top of the punched part of the paper is a very interesting twist on the usual.

That's so beautiful. I'd love to see flocks of robins. I'm happy when I see just ONE! We had snow too, and it was quite windy and blowing...when I woke up I thought it was November again. My crow fam has finally returned. You know how the female crow does the begging behavior when they are getting nest/eggtime ready(to remind the mate to bring her food when she's on nest duty). Well, I think my crow fam does that to me. The scenario as follows: land on wire, caw till silly human slave hears (they are practically deaf!), silly human (me) runs for the peanuts and bark butter bits and heads outside to spread the joy.

Yeah, you would not dare do that on a physical book borrowed from the library!!!

I found some gorgeous cakes inspired by the wedding dress, but I liked this one the best. (Dress designed by Claire Pettibone; cake by Homebaked Heaven.) All of the elements and the paper were in my stash. I've had them for so long that I can't give the proper credit. The font is England Hand DB, available for free on many sites.

Week 15 - Ran across this photograph of a hunting Osprey on Bored Panda. The photographer is Chen Chengguang from Vietnam. He specializes in artistic shots of birds. The Osprey, like the Bald Eagle, hunts fish.

I'm a bit early too but the "highlight" of my week was my birthday. I have no photos of the occasion that I can use here. Just some of family and friends that I will have to blur and I don't like that at all. It are all people that matter to me but for here not very interesting. So I made myself a birthday cake with sprinkles on top (tubes made by me and Carole). The 75 is cream piping, freebie by Carole; just as the doily and greenery with extra roses. The candles are from Marissa Lerin and the rest comes from my stock. The rest of the weeks in April and the first week in May will come as I'm back from California after I have recovered from the jetlag; I don't take my laptop with me. I will leave here coming Tuesday, so bye for now and see you in May. I will check in on the Campus when I have some moments when everybody is at work/school and it is just me and the dogs. In the weekends we will take trips.

I'm two days early posting week 15. I read that Susan is waiting for the Robins to return to her area. Several arrived over this past weekened, along with several small flocks of Juncos, a Male Northern Flicker, and a handful of Song Sparrows. The long awaited songs of birds has once again begun, breaking the long silence of winter out in the trees. Shot taken on Monday afternoon. On their arrival, I promptly put out blueberry jam, and berries.