Sue Thomas

I too call it Yingyang. It makes for a nice different way to write text. I made a double page, mirroring this page. You do surprise me. I didn't think that there may be a flower you didn't like. These are native anemones, quite different to the hybrid ones. I look forward to seeing what you create, which will be beautifully executed.

Stamped letters challenge. I am currently going through a circle phase. I saw a layout similar by AnnieC so decided to copy it. As per usual, I have saved a template. Allowing me to reuse it. All the circles are saved as vectors. Roll on Spring.

It never ceases to amaze me, that over the many boot camps, over many years that participants produce such wonderful diverse layouts. Not only from seasoned campus members but also from newbies. Each and every one unique and inspiring to one and all. @Bee, you are doing marvelously. May I make an observation to your two layouts. It isn't a criticism, possibly you may have merely forgotten to add shadows to the birds and papers in both layouts. Also, try placing the bird on a branch above the paper.

Beautiful Crocus photo, such vibrant Spring colours. Love the Gold Fern and text. You also retained the details in the butterfly. I use a slightly different approach to colouring elements gold, depending on the element of course. I duplicate, flood fill the element with a goldy yellow, then use the blend modes. Adding noise makes it look more gold like too.

Gold elements challenge. I turned a stem of green ivy leaves to gold, and an insect which I extracted from a photo.I thought using the Shiny scarab beetle was appropriate for this challenge. Besideds the Shiny, other scarab beetles have metallic green or bronze hues. They are a very diverse species. In the top left image, you can see how this scarab spent the night, in a state of torpor. The layout is my own, which I created for this challenge. Again I used snowy, icy photos using the blend mode for the background paper.

You did a wonderful job, I particlarily like the background paper, with the subtle elements overlayed. I can remember giving it a try after the masterclass, quite some time ago. I found that you can not use just any image. Here you chose the perfect image obtaining sharp defined strokes.

I certainly do. The templates remain as vectors. I don't change any vectors to rasters until I get to the stage of, as you say, adding textures, shadows and the like. Even then I will duplicate the vectors, hiding one of the layers. I almost never reuse a layout, but one never knows. I can remember commenting on how I use vectors with circles or elippse with a similar layout. That was removing backgrounds from around photos.

I agree, although I can create such layouts, after some thought, I hasten to add. I'm certain that Carole would approach creating such a layout in a different way I than I do. Saying that how I do them works for me. I use techniques I have learnt over the years in the campus. It's good to challenge one self.

In all honesty, I appreciate your kind words, from the bottom of my heart. I now have a template which can be modified and used over and over again. I always use vectors for the circles. To maintain smooth clean edges. From vector shape comes in handy to make clean round deletes. It is imperative to make sure that each delete is done in sequence. All in all it wasn't as much of a challenge as I thought it was going to be. Perhaps Carole would consider doing a masterclass on similar layouts down the road. All the rabbits are adorable, especially when wearing their thick winter coats. I would dearly love to entice them to come to me, but I dare not, being at the bottom of the food chain they must remain wild, and not become tame.

My goodness, everyone has been ever so creative, far to many to comment on individually. Awesome! I'm feeling rather proud of myself, after looking at a template for some time, I was wondering how I'd be able to create it myself. Well, after some thought I came up with this. The layout is one of AnnieC. I must say do like many of her layouts, especailly those that include circles. Scraplifting. I have chosen a few that I like that I will be replicating. Rabbits making the most of the heat of the sun, out of the cold wind under the banks along the Lake. Again I used two ice photos for the background papers. I added my own elements.

Most definitely, the ice is still around 18 inches thick, which means I still have time to walk the lake, taking more interesting photos. As the heat of the sun warms the surface ice and then refreezes at night, it creates copious, fascinating patterns.

Here is another one. They really do make lovely textured papers.

Image one of frost under the ice.

During the winter months, when the opportunity arises I like to walk across the frozen lake. Living in the banks across the lake are lots of rabbits. They have become accustomed to me. Looking down I marvel at the patterns under the ice. Of course I photograph them. I decided to use two shots in this page, which is still a work in progress. The files are very large, so through such compression they will be greatly degraded, but it will give you a gimpse at what I see. I'm also dabbling with the paper cutting technique, even though it is straight lines. As I do, do paper cutting.

LOL! May I suggest that the photos be showcased, and posted in the insect challenge instead.

This afternoon's project for the insect challenge. I can remember seeing a layout quite some time ago, and have been wanting to replicate my own, in other words scarp lifting. Using vectors, I created a template first. I chose an insect which is out of the ordinary for most yet common, that would't be posted on here. Again, my own macro photo. A plain layout.

They are aphids. The North American Ladybirds predominately lay their eggs on the Kochia plant (also known as the tumbleweed, which rolls across the North American landscape during the winter). Their diet consists of aphids. A gardeners best friend.

Another technique I like to use. This is a Ladybird larvae. Ladybirds go through 4 stages, 5 if you incluse the adult stage. (Macro Photography)

I often use masks to blend two, or three photos together. Here I used two photos. Mind you it makes it a dawdle when I take this technique into account when taking photos. Shadows, etc. It also helps when the insects are within the same vacinity. (Macro photography)

Love the shadow. What you have here is a Katydid, and not a grasshopper. Katydids are in the suborder Ensifera, while hoppers are in the suborder caerlifera. The best way to tell them apart is that Katydids have the longest of antennae.

What a great capture Corrie, it is not a beetle of any kind. At first glance, and after reading your comment on its size, it is a bumble bee. My guess is that it is possibly a carpenter bee, or a species of black bee. I hasten to add, that they are completely harmless, unless unduly provoked.

Many of you will know that one of my passions is the wonderful world of insects. I observe, macro photograph, document and showcase them. Here is one I previously did.

I appreciate your impactful comment. Ambience, is the word I was trying to achieve using one of my photos. A million feathers falling down, A million stars that touch the ground, So many secrets to be found Amid the falling snow. Maybe I am falling down. Tell me should I touch the ground? Maybe I won't make a sound In the darkness all around. The silence of a winter's night Brings memories I hold inside, Remembering a blue moonlight Upon the fallen snow. Maybe I am falling down. Tell me should I touch the ground? Maybe I won't make a sound In the darkness all around. I close my window to the night. I leave the sky her tears of white. And all is lit by candlelight Amid the falling snow. And all is lit by candlelight Amid the falling snow.

I wanted to create a page that would depict the lyrics and the tune of this song. Enya is one of my all time favourites, I have all of her CDs. I created snow, frosted window (which is mentioned in the lyrics), wavy paper. I kept it minimalistic. The photo is one I took 2 days ago. How I remember sleepless nights When we would read by candlelight, And on the windowpane outside A new world made of snow A million feathers falling down, A million stars that touch the ground, So many secrets to be found Amid the falling snow.

Everyone is creating wonderful pages, each one inspiring. Susan, I do like the addition of Latin to your title. I took Latin for a year when I was in grammer school. I have recently started adding Latin to some of my pages, somerthing I used to do quite some time ago. What is the Tile font called? It is perfect for the cover.