Sue Thomas

Yesterday was a beautiful day, sun shining as it almost always does. Generating more and more heat every day, brought out the first of the ground squirrels. Temperature raised to +13c. Of course I had to take photos of them, also fed them with carrots and nuts. Which they filled their cheeks with to take back to their burrows. The three that emerged were half grown, undoubtedly born later in the season last year. There was a bitter cold wind today, which meant they weren't going to venture out. At least yesterday they had a chance to replenish their larders. Continuing with the topic of photography, when I take photos there are several thoughts on my mind, such as visualizing how the shot will look. Lighting, distracting objects, angle and so on. Hoping to take a shot that will appeal to a wide audience, evoke emotion and compel myself and any viewer to keeping looking. In my opinion, that is the essence of a good photo. The same applies to my layouts. When you create layouts, what thoughts run through your mind?

Should be plain sailing, once you download and use the corrent file!

As I commented to Cristina's words, I deeply appreciate your, and many others within the campus family for their exceedingly inspiring, complimentary comments. It’s an absolute pleasure for me to share my photography, through showcasing them with you all. As I have said many times before I am very much an amateur photographer, learning and improving as I go along. I have learnt to think more about the elements of an image which will make them more appealing to myself and the viewer. Showcasing them isn’t any different, in my layouts, first and foremost the layout must not take presidence over the image, whilst still making it appealing to myself and the viewer.

As always, you are profoundly complimentary. I reciprocate, by saying I profoundly appreciate your words, my dear friend! For nice clean circles I use a vector shape (circle), then use selections, from vector object.

I admire your tenacity in persevering with the jpeg. I opted to create my own slip it in effect. As for rotating the photo area, I can not stress strongly enough, never ever rotate anything which has shadows which can not be removed, in a jpeg or png. Oh well, we are constantly learning, through trial and error.

The folder I downloaded didn't include the psp file either. I couldn't work out how to use the jpeg either. What a relief, as I thought I was having a mental block. Especially after seeing what Ann and Corrie had posted.

Did you create all 12 from scratch? For many elements, you can create a template, save, and then create others to your liking, colour, size, orientation etc. Remembering to save each one first, to enable you to keep the template in tact. It can be very frustrating when you have put a lot of time into doing something only to find something wrong, and unable to work out what you did wrong.

Again, I appreciate your words. In fact this time you mamaged to curb the length of your comment, by quoting more of my words than your own. 😉 ❤️ Gone are the days when words used to flow freely for me. Though, these days I do have my moments. A tip, when using the technique, make sure you delete EVERY layer which is bleow the photo. In order to get the right effect.

Michele! I have always held your words in high regard. Always much appreciated.

I decided to do a follow up page to the one I did for the mating hares. Once again I have used Carole's punches, simillar colours too. Now that the snow, and snow banks are slowly disappearing as the sun warms up, it's lovely to see one of my resident hares out feeding during daylight hours. Rather than use borders I used the selection tool, select selection borders, delete Instead of round I went with oval for thw photos. Although I use square layouts, I much prefer to use rectangles. We now live in a digital world, a far cry from when I was a child, when we didn't even have calculators. It doesn't matter whether you area a pro, amateur, use a pro camera or a phone. For me photography is far more than pressing a button, but in the ability to weave a narrative through pixels. Immortalizing the fleeting beauty of a moment no matter what it may be. Using the powerful impact of PSP to tell the photos story, by showcaseing them.

Beautifully executed Julie You have that technique well and truly mastered. A rainbow of colours. I could do with some colour, as the snow deminishes the drab browns are once again revealed.

I think you are right, good to know I'm not the only one blips happen too!

I am really appreciative of your words, whether you are babbling, or short and to the point. I never know what I'm going to find. I always have my wits about me. Constanly looking, listening, treading lightly. The rewards can be immence.

well I don't know what happened to my post, text all over the place, and two images.

Here is my week eleven. Doing this challenge really does make you realize how quickly the weeks simply fly by. Saturday is the start of a new week for me. I was quite privileged, and awe inspiring to be allowed to get fairly close to this big procupine. (Danielson Park, trail hiking) I didn't feel threateneed by it, as it didn't display any signs of being threatened itself. AS they will retraet up a tree rather than attack. As it was feeding on bark and twigs. They have a more varied diet during the summer months. They have such tiny eyes for its size.

Thank you for the kind words. The intention was to keep the flow of circles, including the date.

Carole's border and page punches, along with her fancy fonts, really don't need any introduction. For the date I created a wooden token. As for the hedgehog I went with a semi watercolour effect. Frame and mask my own. Whilst home with the little girls, I would take them up Badgers lane, once at the top the view is spectacular. They would take their magnifying glasses, I spy insect book, and magnifying insect jars. Needless to say I got those for them. We would turn over stones, to see what was underneath. On one occassion we saw this Hedgehog. Of course I had my camera with me.

Creating and using masks has opened a door for you. Taking your creativity to a whole new level.

Exactly, you can't beat outdoor entertainment. BBC earth is free on the telly this month. Planet Earth 111 is now airing on a Sunday night. I was home when it was first aired in 2022 in the UK. I'm a huge fan of Brian Cox too.

As you can see I've had a superb day outside, being entertained by 6 hares. At home we have a saying Mad March Hares. They aren't mad at all, instead it's the courting behaviour of mating hares. They spent the day, running up, down, over and around the snowbanks in the yard and out in the stubble, chasing one another. Mating suitors.

Spotted Dick. Is a tradtional steamed pudding made with suet and dried fruit. This is the blueberry steamed pudding I made yesterday. Variations can be jams, or treacle, always served with piping hot custard. There is a misconception between pudding and dessert. A dessert is sweet, whereas a pudding can be sweet and savoury. I was always taught, that one uses a fork and knife with a dessert, and only a spoon for pudding. Corrie posted Xmas pudding. These are three I made to take home. Using 1lb pudding basins. Cooked in the pressure cooker.

Rice pudding, one of my favourite puddings, served either hot or cold. I make a rice pudding once a week. Traditionally made with all milk, and pearle rice, in other words pudding rice. I love the skin, which is flavoured with nutmeg.

The word gloomy comes to mind when I look at your photo. Depicting long, dark, bleak winter days.

This is going to sound really daft. I downloaded the freebie. I had a complete mental block, not knowing how to use it. So I decided to do what I always do, and that is create my own slip it in. You will often see the slip it in technique used in many of my pages.

It has been a week of snow, blowing snow and white outs. Image taken out back in the trees. To me, I see, An eerie stillness, even with blowing snow, in the woods, in the depth of winter. A typical March day.