Julie Magerka

I know the time is approaching to update to Win 11, but I'm still dragging my feet. There are issues with Win 10 (as mentioned here) but I'm so used to it. I've used Win 11 on other devices and have not warmed to it yet.

Two days ago, on June 12, I observed the 100th anniversary of the day my grandmother brought my mother and her baby sister to Canada to join her husband who was already in Canada (in Ontario) working on a farm. My mother was 5 years old. They disembarked in Halifax after nine days at sea. Then they took a train across many provinces to get to their destination. It is a significant anniversary for me and yet sad b/c they are so few people whom I can share this layout with. My older sister has been in a state of cognitive decline for a year or so, and has lost all interest in any of these things. But I did it to honour them and for me. The image of the ship in the bottom right corner is the actual ship they were on. The layout is meant to be ragged and distressed, as I'm sure their lives were at the time.

I wish that I would clean, tidy, or organize when life is throwing curves at me! My house would benefit from that.

That does look yummy!

I think this layout was done with elements etc. from Rachel Jefferies and Lynn Grievson. I subscribe to their Substack feed and get lots of stuff from them, including some inspiration from what they post.

Well said, Corrie!

This is a layout I did when I was feeling really down & out in early May. It's about my own feelings and reactions to life at the time.

This is one with my friend & her dogs with her mom and sister at their cottage.

For quite a while, I was producing mostly really bad layouts that I would then discard. Then I'd start again and repeat the discard. It was so disappointing b/c working on layouts is a great stress reliever and distraction for me (usually). Then a good friend sent me some of her old family pix which were mostly bad snapshots (the newer ones). I told her I could work with them and produce something more viewable for her. So that's what I started to do. It helped to get me back in the saddle, so to speak. And she seems happy with what I've done so far. It's interesting to me that the older B&W photos are much better than the colour ones from the 70s and 80s. Here's an extraction I did from one of the snaps of her mom. Don't remember what I used but likely elements from Anna Aspnes. I'll post a couple more separately, without the preamble.

That is one task that works almost like magic in PSE. Can't say how easy it is in Affinity. It's a technique that can be very effective in a layout.

You did a great extraction!

Life was getting in the way. But I'm coming back.

I love using masks (which gave me so much trouble in the beginning!) but I no longer have Affinity. I purchased PSE 2024 while I could still grab it. I will use that, or rely on good old PSP.

Have a wonderful trip Jannette. A getaway is always a good thing for the soul. And don't throw your computer through the window! Get someone to help you perhaps?

Thanks Ann.

Done, thanks.

I posted this in April. Thanks for pointing that out friends. Early May...is there a sweeter, more lovely, time of year? At least here in my part of the world. The flowering trees are spectacular and colour is back in the world. Grabbed a few quick shots while I was out today to capture the beauty of it all. (Except the Forsythia, which I got online.) Used PSE 2024 (my Affinity has expired and I can't afford to get back into it) and a template from Anna Aspnes. Some papers from a kit I won from ET Designs. The metal bee is also AA. I will be looking at this next winter.

Love the photo! It could be my grandmother in her kitchen. That's what I thought of. Great dot pattern too.

That was fast, Corrie! It seems you were just getting ready to go!

I came across this vintage fashion photo quite unexpectedly. And it grabbed my attention. As I did a bit of looking into it, an interesting story of the photographer (Martin Munkasci, a Hungarian) emerged. He was considered daring and risk-taking in his style of photography. I enjoyed looking at some of his fashion work. Made the layout just for fun, b/c the image is such fun.

With so many wonderful posts in this thread (nearly 400!), I have not been able to keep up. I couldn't participate this time. But I'm getting back (slowly) to a more normal pace of life. So many things going on with family issues, all rather time-consuming and exhausting (and completely beyond my control). I somehow have held the opinion that layouts need to be happy and upbeat (flowers, butterflies, unicorns, etc.) to celebrate all the big things in life. But I see layouts on many sites and, while many are like that, others are more mundane, and some are quite sad or soulful as they express darker emotions which are part of daily life too. Everyone who has posted in this Workshop has done a great job. You've sure kept Carole busy keeping up!

I really noticed the difference in loading today too. In previous days, it was taking 15-20 seconds after I clicked to log in. Signing out was slow too.

I thought I posted this l/o yesterday, but it didn't show up. It's a rare photo of ME! It was a very cold day a couple of weeks ago at the dog park where my dog-walking friend snapped a pic while I sat, bundled up, to let our dogs roam. Somehow they are missing from the image??? The weather here (SW Ontario) has been variable to put it nicely. Cold, then hot, and repeat. Mask and paper textures from Anna Aspnes. The elements are from my stash.

If I give you my address, can you send me one, Sue?

Oh yes! I wish I could get that one here. I doubt it they deliver to Canada. 😐