today...unpacking

~sigh~ that is right...
the Louisville trip wasn't in the cards :(
so now, i unpack, get unready and miss getting to
have a little girl time. with the big girls.
and while today i feel disappointed, forlorn, wishful that it would have gone as planned...
i made the choice that was best for my family.

i have made a promise or two, though:
* i WILL make another trip
* this next trip WILL work out
* i WILL fly instead of drive
* i WILL aim for Cali next time, baby! :D

until then, it is off to serve my family. helping with homework, projects, transporting to activities and maintaining life.

So, to my girls in Louisville...you know what to do!!!! :D :D :D :D

just realized

that you might get tired of seeing my mug in pics.
most of the time when i get an urge to shoot it is during
the day when the kids are @ school...and all i have is me...sad.
i guess i could go for inanimate objects, but i like seeing how i can
tweak skin and eyes...clothes...
my oldest has been on me to shoot her (hee hee) but it is still too cold outside...
brrr!
hopefully i will have a few more lovely faces to show on here in a few weeks! weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

on a personal note...
today i will practice contentment and unselfishness.


have a great weekend, friends. =)

learning

i thought that i would share what i learned from
taking an online photography class from Jodi Friedman of
mcp actions
well, i guess it was more a photoshop class, but
that is photography, too.

curves, curves, and more curves.
what are they and what the heck do you do with them?
well, i can't precisely define them, but i can show you what i learnt.


photo #1--straight out of the camera
not bad, but it needs some work--little dark, skin tones off, needs a crop
this next image is me working in PS with my curves box up.
{this image is just for show and tell ;)}


and so after a minor crop and adjustment in curves.......
VOILA!!!
can you see the difference? brighter color...better skin tone...eyes shine... more overall zing!
here it is again...

next i began to play. i am from the 70's so what better action to use than
PW's 70's action. {find it here} she has 2 FREE sets for your downloading pleasure!
nice and muted and soft. i probably reduced the opacity to about 80%. i like it.

then a dramatic B&W also from PW lovely actions.

and that is that!

hope your day is wonderful wherever you are.
i must say that my presence will be scarce here as i gear up for Louisville!
*ummm...everytime i say that i end up being back here a LOT...lol!*
so, how 'bout i'll see ya when i see ya...so to speak ;)

oh, there IS something special about today! :)

is it my new special mug i acquired while Target-ing?

{LO inspired by the mug to come :)}

is it that yesterday was actually somewhat warm AND sunny and i took like
1,542 self-portraits???
just kidding on that number....just kidding :P





NOPE the reason it is special today is.......................................



















IT is my FRIEND Jill's BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Jill!!!!!!!! :D

You still look like a college kid! ;D

from the heart....

cuz that is how i roll...
i scrap what the truth is and right now
this is the truth.
worth documenting.
i think God thinks i need more patience, love, compassion
and understanding....hmmmm.....
...in the form of a dog??? :/
*click to enlarge for journaling*

Brought to you by the letter Z

i was really in a funk on Saturday...
i really wanted this one kit {thought it would spark something}, but
when i woke up in the morning it was gone. :(
i don't stay up late and i don't have any kit subs anymore,
but i thought, maybe just maybe...nope...not a chance!
internal pouting commenced (ha)

then, i thought...are you crazy??? (you meaning ME!)
i have got lots of great stuff that hadn't been used, so what
am i really complaining about?!
Count your blessings, girl!!!

so, i did :D
and instead of pouting, i commenced to do me some scrappin!
(How Beverly Hillbillies does that sound? hee!)

Inspired by this book that had been haphazardly lying about my bedroom
for quite some time.
i created this little layout about my need for spring to hurry up and get here!!!

HAPPY :D that i did a little LO...so my mojo doesn't go away; although it can follow me
south here in a couple of weeks!

i hope that you are closer to spring than i am today.
it snowed last night. it is cold...like in the 20's cold...brrr...
and windy. nice.

and this post has nothing at all to do with the letter Z, it just
rolled off of my tongue this morning for a post title.
gotta go...the little bugger is awake now and trying to bite my feet!
off into the cold we go!
peace and blessings.
xo