Sue Thomas

I created this page after the Masterclass 'In the news with PaintShop Pro.

Like so many of us, I joined before there was a Diamond Membership. When I joined I subscribed to the Creative Scrap. I can remember clearly, I needed to know how to create something pertaining to a scrapbook layout, as I wasn't a scrapbooker back then. You replied, asking me to hold off until a specific date, as you were about to launch the Diamond membership. I believe I might have been one of the first Diamond Members.

I remember those beads, I have them, and the tutorial printed off. The tutorials came via email. How to change the colour of the beads using the change to target tool, to correctly threading sting, or beads. This is going to be a quite a trip down memory lane.

Many of you will know what the very first tutorial I did when I first joined the campus, and that was the Flair Button, in the creative scrap. This page, I did for a challenge, where you had to create a page using 20 of the same element. Such as buttons, flowers, ribbons etc. I chose to do 20 flair buttons. In this page there are other techniques used found in the blog, masterclasses, and creative scrap. Extractions, text on a curve, blend modes, creating gradients, shadowing.

I have date stamps 8 and 10. Carole and I tested them several times, in fact I have 4 test scripts of each. The outer text doesn't align correctly. It's OK, I make my own templates, which I can edit and use over and over. The top right is a Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum), below is a Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia), and the one below the Philadelphia Vireo is a Yellow- rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) . More and more birds are arriving daily. Out in the trees it's a bird watchers paradise. Thrushes, Yellow shafted Flickers, native sparrows, finches, Siskins, fly catchers to name but a few. So many warblers and Vireos. A Tennessee Warbler and a Warbling Vireo arrived yesterday too. The trees went silent when the Orioles, Robins, and the blackbirds left about 10 days ago. Now, the trees as full of song again. I will showcase them all in time, many of which I will post. I did post the full sized page on facebook, but then they compress files.

The day's are now becoming noticeably shorter. The migratory birds are also on the move. This morning a beautiful Philadelphia Vireo called in. They are generally uncommon, and this one, was the first one I have ever seen. Many of the birds are difficult to ID at this time of year, as many of then are dull in Autumn, and the young ones, don't have adult breeding plumage until next Spring. I used one of a-dozi's brushes from Sunday's masterclass on the background paper, which is a gradient I created. For a change I used the slip in photo technique, and also slipped 3 of the tags (my own tag) under too. Also I used one Carole's new punches. Once again, the date stamp script didn't work, so I created my own template.

A great choice of plant for any pollinator. I hope it will give you as much pleasure.

Carole and I were talking about her corner and frame punches, and we agreed, that they are unique. You won't find them anywhere else, not even in photoshop. I use them a lot, not only on strips or labels, but I will quite often punch out a quarter of a page or more, which will give a lovely effect. I can't remember who it was, but someone commented how large the punch was, and never thought to use them in that way. Michele, your pages are always fun, the colours and effects you use are as Jannette said a feast for the eyes, and brighten up anyone day, with your choice of colours.

They are beetles, commonly called Fireflies, glow worms, lightning bugs. They belong to the Lampyridae family, the order of ( Coleoptera) beetles. In the class of insecta ( Insects). They produce light in special organs in their abdomens. A combination of several chemicals, which they can control, how and when to flash. It's pretty fascinating really.

Thanks Suzzy. I try to create balanced pages. The heading at the top left, needed something down in the bottom right, to balance it out. I feel a balanced design is naturally pleasing to the eye.

This is one I did back in 2017. I used a photo for the background (Delphinium). Usual word art, the coffee and biscuits I found on line, masked it into the page. I'm not a big fan of coffee, when I do have a cup, it's a few grains of instant coffee. I do enjoy a cup of tea though. Herbal or regular.

The beauty of observing and shooting these entertaining creatures, is that I can create a story behind the shots. Umpteen times they will pack their cheeks and disappear down their holes to their burrows to fill their larders. In the bottom photo you will see him packing a piece of carrot in to the cheek. Stretching the skin, to reveal the pink skin, something I hadn't noticed before.

A great page, I love the colours you chose. Did you use an overlay on the background paper it's beautiful?

I bought the new Punches in the store earlier. I simply had to have them and try them out. What photos shall I showcase tonight I thought. Anyway, this is what I came up with, using one of the new brushes, as a label. I also used one of Carole's corner punches on the strip. Instead of putting a frame a round the photos I embossed the background paper around them for a change. Of all the Blisters the Epicauta sp. is my favourite, and I call them velvety greys, not only do they look velvety, they feel ever so velvety to the touch, as does the tan blister. The velevety grey's legs also reminds me of the parts of a Meccano set. Julie, we had the same idea, I too used a photo of one of the Blister Beetles on a Goldenrod plant. It's one of the Blisters favourite flowers. And one of the last flowers to bloom here.

what a lovely tribute to you dad! The simplicity of the layout is perfect. I trust you have saved the layout as a PSP file. As you have a typing error. I think you meant to type then, and not than. Even then I could go on.

My mum died just before her 70th Birthday. 23 yrs ago. I don't know about you, but as I have got older the more I miss her. Out of the blue I would ask her a question pertaining to something I was doing at the time. Or something that I'm doing would remind me of a memory of her.

This one is 8 1/2 x11 inches , it depends on the layout I have in mind. My preference for most of the covers I do is 8 1/2 x 10.

I can never understand the logic in anyone flapping and running around hysterically at any creature. The most sensible thing to do is to stand motionless. That goes for bats too. I grew up in a 600yr old vicarage turned farmhouse. The stone walls were 3ft deep, with a spiral stone staircase. We had bats in the attic, which would occasionally fly through an open bedroom window at night. They are the Pipistrelle bats. Of course you have heard of the saying bats in the belfry. It's very true, and most churches and chapels at home are occupied with bats. Since I was a child their numbers have diminished greatly, and they are now protected in the UK If you have them in your attics, you have to live with them. Also, the UK is one of the very countries in the world that is rabies free. It doesn't stop me handling them out here without gloves. I agree they are very much misunderstood creatures. Hollywood and Disney has a lot to answer, for the way they portray many creatures in their productions. I had a wonderful up bringing on a Welsh hill farm. I would go out in the morning, and wouldn't be seen until tea time. I was allowed the freedom to be a child, and if I wasn't in by tea time, there was a row. Great times, and some many happy memories, surrounded by animals.

What a beautiful creature, look a the expression on it's face, and those eyes, melt the heart. I Love bats, I had many as pets when I was a child, as we had an old disused barn when they used to hang out. Also we had bats in the attic of the house. They are protected in the UK. They are mammals, and not even remotely related to rodents. They are in a class of their own. Chiroptera, which in Greek means hand hanging. The framing is perfect, it draws the eye to the bat.

Creating a magazine cover is another way I like to showcase my photos, and I enjoy creating them. They are quick and easy to create, as they don't require shadows, textures. Whilst getting all the information that a scrapbook page will contain. Title, date, location and so on. They are flat pages. Although the toads are amphibians, I still added them to the cover. The snakes are reptiles of the suborder Serpentes. The Plains Spadefoot toad are small, this one was an inch and a quarter, as I measured it. The other one wasn't much bigger at 2 inches. I love everything about snakes. This on I picked up to take a portrait shot, looking around for a non busy background.

I love your page, I like the uniqueness of the numbered squares. I'll have to remember to lower the opacity on a suitable page, it's a cool idea.

Well Susan, I'm rendered speechless, as I am totally overwhelmed by your comments, and others on here and on Facebook on my work. We have an appreciation for the art of photography, and displaying those images, giving them pride of place in layouts. We all have different styles in our presentations, yet in those photos and layouts our passions resonate through. I must give credit to Carole, because without the campus we wouldn't be able to achieve our goals, to the high standard that we do. Or the close knit international family that we have become. Next Spring and Summer you will be looking at your garden and it's occupants ( the world of insects and other creatures) in a whole new light. I loose all track of time when I'm outside crawling around on the ground. I'm going to suggest you put out a hummingbird feeder in early Spring. Hopefully, you'll have visitors passing through. Then again, in late July for the ones stopping off, en route South. The solitary bees , have pollen brushes either on their legs or abdomen, depending on their species. Bumbles have pollen baskets on their legs. You are sure to have fun observing the leaf cutters too. I will look forward to seeing photos of your visitors. You'll have 2 photographic studios, one indoors and the one Mother nature has provided.

Thank you! I have mentioned you in a comment on facebook, along with some photos off the camera. I've cropped them using PSP.

Ann, Font. I often use swashes from fonts to create my own. Often copying raster's/png's that I see. I used 2 fonts for this one.

Thank you for your kind words on the Robin layout. I'm pleased I was able to inspire you. Mind you that's one of ge many reasons why we are part of the campus. What a lovely memory layout you created. I like the framing, and the vector petal shapes. May I make a suggestion. Your plaid background paper is lovely, but try making the pattern smaller, and see what you think. I feel it's a bit of a distraction from the lovely photos. Find the pattern in the material pallete, instead of flood filling 100%, lower the %.