hot off the deck

yesterday i completed our last assignment for kim's skinny mini photoshop ecourse. i can't believe how much i've learned, she is a fantastic teacher. i can't wait to take her essentials course now.
in between snapping photos and manipulating them (gosh i love being manipulative) i managed to finish one project i can check off my list...
i found this funky little table/lamp unit a few weeks ago at a friend's yard sale for $2. i'm not much for wrought iron, but one can never have too many lamps in a house in alaska in the dead of winter...

...before....

(i just realized i'm showing my really ugly mud room to the world...great...)

...after...

i decided it would make the perfect "knitting at night" table. i spray painted the base "tomato soup", what a great name, huh? i stitched up a quick bag for the bottom to hold my numerous unfinished knitting projects...slapped some fabric scraps on an old lampshade, and popped a full spectrum bulb in it. after sanding down the table top i painted away, then gave it a few coats of sealer and put it all back together. it's bright & happy & keeps the boys out of my stuff. all for under $5. i'm feeling so frugal...

wow~

 

i think the only thing photoshop can't do is fill up my gas tank.

i know how to wield the magic eraser tool.

no one need ever know what a horrible photographer i am again.

thank you kim klassen.

it's a software miracle~

i've been working on kim klassen's skinny mini ecourse for photoshop elements this week. ms. kim is nothing short of amazing. in a series of well executed videos and homework, she has managed to unlock the mysteries of layers, blends, adjustments and textures. she's a great teacher, and so generous to offer this class at no cost. if you've been intimidated or discouraged by this software, i really recommend signing up for one of kim's classes - just click on one of her buttons i have over on the right to see some of her work.

look at the difference!

swap-o-rama

linda at a swap for all seasons hosts the best swaps ever. her latest swap challenge was to create a 5x7 fabric collage piece, simple & sweet, inspired by something our partners liked.
my partner was nancy from the vintage dresser . we share a common like of vintage kitchen linens and old stuff. and the colour green. (she has a couple of great tutorials posted for mini note pads and a sweet mini album made from coffee filters (!) go check it out!)
so, here's what i came up with for her:

the image of the fairy princess is courtesy of karen the graphics fairy , who keeps us supplied with wonderful images to use however we will. i printed her out in sepia (the princess, not karen) and freshened her up a bit with coloured pencils.

a couple of the background fabrics are actual old feedsacks, the rest are reproductions. the linen trim on the left edge is a precious piece from my memere's sewing stash, as well as the old buttons. am i the only one who has stashes of these things and finds it incredibly painful to actually use?? i don't know why, even my memere used to say "c'est tout simplement" which i think was her way of saying "it's all just stuff", and i always like the way everything looks when i'm done...

i gave it a bit of machine quilting and added a jar of pixie dust so she could sprinkle her 3 wishes around. it was very hard not to sew a binding on to this....but we were supposed to leave them unfinished for our partners to finish as they like. i mailed her off to nancy today, hope she likes it.

linda has set up a link here to all the finished pieces, go have a look, there are some beauties!

happy valentine's day!

can you find the heart?

look close.... it's on the cliff below the leaning spruce tree,

by the furthest breaking wave...

have a great day!

sunday sunshine

eat your supper....

today has been a really windy, rainy, cold cold day. gerry has been working out on a boat all day, so i know he will be frozen and wet when he gets home. the perfect day to make turkey pot pie for dinner...
i get his call to let me know he's on his way home. great timing as the pie is done. i set the table, then do the usual clean up of the counters, etc. when i turn around to get the plates, this is what i see...

never turn your back on a small white dog.

an important safety notice for kodiak residents

this is my youngest son, cullan.

he turned 16 last weekend.

he is usually the quiet one of the family, not prone to public displays of emotion of any type. what's that he's holding, you ask? that would be his still-warm-from-the-laminator

alaska driver's license.
ergo, my public warning.

this is his vehicle, so you all have a visual.

if you live on the mainland, you should be safe for another couple years.

(all kidding aside, he has thus far proven to be a pretty consciencious and safe driver. i am again grateful for the "no passengers" provision. i'll post updates should he ever venture off the island )