Ann Seeber

I went back and tackled the layout from Lesson 2. I decided to create a template of sorts in order to change the background color which is now a gradient created with the cass-gradient creator script using the colors of the sparrow. The title font is Vivaldi treated to the Sculpture Effect using the Geometric pattern with white. I have these little guys hopping all over the ground under my feeders. Their striped heads are quite noticeable. He even dominates this busy QP.

Julie, thank you! I just adjusted the photo so you can see more of the landscape. Check it out!

A photo from Dan Mish featuring our beautiful Shawungunk Ridge, locally referred to as The Gunks. Lake Minnewaska is a well-known resort. The fonts are Dingo Nursery on the left and Eras Demi on the right.

Meanwhile, I finished one for Lesson Three. This is actually one photo that I chopped into 3 sections, reduced the opacity of the background and added a frame using inner bevel.

I did this yesterday and then got distracted this morning with the new QPs and forgot to post Lesson Two. Here it is...

I live in a condo development on the outskirts of a city, and we moved in during the month of October. The one saving grace that showed up in the Spring, was many flowering trees, which surprised and delighted me! Sadly, most have died off after 5 years here but this one, located right in front of my postage-stamp sized patio is a rather late bloomer but stands out with deep magenta blooms amid the pinks and whites. Luckily, it seems to have avoided the infestation that killed off the other cherries. The birds love it, also.

Ah, well, my next one is ready, also. I couldn't resist the blossoms in my front yard. My iPhone XS photo. There's a freeze predicted for Thursday. But, then again, our safe planting date is always the end of May so freezes are not unexpected. 😞

Being silly with my daughters, (l-r) Debbie and Laurey. Laurey is famous for wearing flip-flops all year-round.

Continuing Lesson One, here's great grandson Logan. My daughter Laurey is his grandmother; her daughter Ilana, married to Maverick, is his mom. I added a starry banner from Marisa Lerin and the font is Stencil. I played with the colors a lot using the Change to Target brush which preserves textures.

Here's my first part of Lesson One: a new photo from my California family. Great-grandson Raja is now 8 mos! Deb is my oldest daughter, Aaron is her beau, Anna and Will are her children, TJ is married to Anna and Lucy is married to Will. Raja and Magic are Will & Lucy's children. The lettering on the banners is cass-alpha-graduated-dimension. The font used is Children Funny.

Re-posting from earlier: Happy Birthday, Carole!

Thanks, Suz! The background paper is again from the SI-Stargazer kit that I also used for my eclipse layout. The "wreath" was a freebie from Cassel and the Earth Day Birthday design is from Beth Scannel. I used this design twice as April 22 is also my grandson, Will's birthday, too!

Oh, I guess this means it's time to start with the birthday wishes. Happy Birthday, Carole!

I couldn't resist doing a showcase for this woman's fabulous art. And here's a Gift Link to the article, no subscription needed.

Wow, very nice, Sue. I do see Cooper's Hawks here by the condo and see the occasional pile of feathers, probably a mourning dove's remains. Everyone has to eat. I've been enjoying a series on the Public Broadcasting Station [PBS] coincidentally called "A Fistful of Daggers" which is all about raptors. Fascinating! I looked the show up on Google Images and put this on my desktop for now.

Just sharing a chuckle posted by my Warwick library on Facebook.

I've had quite a few pets: cats, dogs, tropical fish, guinea pigs, a de-scented skunk, ponies and horses. The most spectacular were the Irish Wolfhounds that we had starting around 1980 and for about 20 years, encompassing one female and after she passed away we acquired a pair, siblings, whom we named Mick and the female was already named "Annie." She was older and we got her to keep the male under control. As a 7-month-old pup, he was a handful. He was roughly the size of an Irish Setter and still had growing to do! I apologize for the photo, the only one I have of them. It was originally black and white, and I attempted to colorize it. The layout is from a Corel freebie template for Father's Day 2023. The background paper is from Melo Vrijhof, the font is Classic Barbershop and the celtic decor is from pngegg.

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

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

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.

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.

Cornell Labs Merlin only identifies the birdsong and provides the photo. My information, as I documented, is from: Harpswell Heritage Land Trust-Maine-Nature Notes

I was out feeding the birds and using the Merlin app on my phone to record birdsong which the app identifies. I have a new "lifer" bird- the Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Myrtle variety). Here are the details for my layout: Template-cass-corner-slip in background paper=PSBT First title font=Agency Photo=Cornell Labs Merlin Bird ID 2nd title font=Brave Hearted + Curlz MT Paint splash=treed-Have A Nice Day Journal Card sketch-cass-pencil sketch 2 Bird info: Harpswell Heritage Land Trust-Maine-Nature Notes Date stamp-cass #4 Since the text is reduced I'll post it separately, also.