Photo Storify

Photos, Stories and Scrapbooking

Toilet Paper

By

On May 29, 2020

In Scrapbooking

Do you need any toilet paper? I ask myself that question every time I go to Costco. Thursday, the store finally had my favorite brand. It’s been out of stock since early March. I bought a big package of 36 rolls to add to my store. By my count I now have more than 144+ rolls of toilet paper stored in a closet that used to have empty shelves. If I used a roll every two days, that would last a year.

When I got home from Costco, I texted my daughter, “Do you need any TP?” “No,” she replied with 😂😅🤣, “I’ve still got that package I bought in April.” We both laugh, me knowing that if she runs out, I have plenty.

Normally one wouldn’t think of toilet paper as an inspiration for a layout, but I have to tell you that I smiled to myself and chuckled a lot as I created this page. Actually a paper overlay included in Anna’s new ArtPlay Palette reminded me of the toilet paper rolls I bought on Thursday morning and a little story.

Paper and Transfer
  • Place solid paper 3 from ArtPlay Palette Lost on a new blank 12×12 layout.
  • Above the paper, place Paper Overlay 1.
FotoBlendz
  • Just above the paper place file 1 from FotoBlendz Overlays No. 14.
  • Clip the toilet paper photo to the mask.
  • Rotate and place the photo of toilet paper above the mask.
  • Use the Object Selection Tool to mask exclude any background before clipping the photo to the mask. Adjust both mask and photo as needed.

Note: I used the Warp Tool to adjust the mask to better fit the paper layer. I also used the Warp Tool to align the line in the paper overlay with my photo.

Build Background with Overlay and Splatters
  • Above the photo layer place Edge Overlay 1 from ArtPlay Palette Lost on the left.
  • Then place two copies of Splatter 1 to form a triangle.

Note: The shadow in the paper overlay lines up with the bottom of the toilet paper role.

Embellish
  • Add wooden word from Lost WordART Mix No. 1. Give it a small shadow with
  • Create a text box below the title and write journaling.
  • Add psd MultiMedia file from Bonus available with the full release this week.

Note: I recolored the ribbon with a Hue and Saturation Adjustment.

A silly question, texted to my daughter each week, bonds my daughter and me now. “Do you need any TP?” This text between us has become an ongoing joke, a cause for shared laughter. Is there a hidden significance, something I’m not facing? Probably. Laughter often masks deeper feelings. Sometimes, a good laugh at myself is simply a good thing. At any rate, today I laughed!

Petulance

By

On May 17, 2020

In Scrapbooking

I really wished the garden was open. I miss walking with my camera in a rainbow of color every spring. Instead, I was thinking about an expense we really didn’t want, but the compressor on the heat pump was going out and the furnace was rusted. As I looked out the window at the sunshine beaming down on the new grass, I kept thinking about what I was missing, wanting to be at the garden again with my camera. Instead, I waited and tried to stay away from the installers.

Combine

I often combine layers from different files to create a page. In this case, I knew that I wanted to use the Artsy Transfer and then looked for other pieces to use to tell my story.

Note: I deleted part of the thread and pasted it to a new blank layer so that I could use it separately.

FotoBlendz
  • Place layers of file 5 from Rainbow FotoBlendz No. 1 below the transfer layers.
  • Clip photo to the mask.
  • Turn off color layers as desired.

Note: I used only the green, red and orange.

Elements
  • Place the clover and button face from ArtPlay Palette Rainbow next to the frames.
  • Move the second piece of the thread into place.

In case my journaling didn’t explain Petulance, I’m feeling childishly sulky or bad-tempered, especially after dealing with two young men who didn’t wear masks. I wore one!

Rainbow Possibilities

By

On May 8, 2020

In Scrapbooking

In a time of staggering joblessness, illness and death, I find it hard to focus on the positive. Yet this afternoon, I experienced a few moments of joy working with Anna’s new palette, ArtPlay Palette Rainbow. Maybe it’s the colors or the thoughts of possibilities suggested by a rainbow.

Create a Composite of Photos

To create this page, I combined two photos that I captured at Lauritzen Gardens in 2018.

  • Blend photo of rainbow display and large fish, resizing and masking as needed. Duplicate and change the second copies to Hard Light.
  • Place transfer 4 from ArtPlay Palette Rainbow. Rotate and enlarge about 10%. Use it as a clipping mask for the photos.
  • Duplicate the transfer and change the blend mode to Color.
  • Adjust the blending and positioning of the photos.
  • Make a composite of these layers to use to create the rest of the layout.
Clip Composite to FotoBlendz Mask
  • Open file 2 from Rainbow FotoBlendz No. 1.
  • Place above solid paper 1 from ArtPlay Palette Rainbow.
  • Clip the composite to the fotoblendz mask. Adjust the positioning.
  • Duplicate copies of composite. Change the blend mode of the first copy to Soft Light at 75% and the second copy to Hard Light at 50%.
  • Reposition some of the glows to emphasize the rainbow colors in the photos.
Build Background
Embellish
  • On the right, place word art elements from Bonus Set included with today’s release.
  • On the left, create a cluster with ribbon, small frame, charm included in ArtPlay Palette Rainbow. Clip another photo to the mask. Note: I resized the frame and place it along with the shadow below the mask.

Lettuce

By

On May 3, 2020

In Scrapbooking

Green leaf lettuce is a staple for my meals. No matter what other vegetable, fruit or protein I use, green leaf lettuce is the first layer of every salad bowl. As I learn to shop online for groceries I am also learning to trust someone else to pick out my produce. Today someone else selected my tomatoes. They looked good. Next time, I’m going to ask the store to select my lettuce.

Use Part of a Template
  • Open template 1 from Hipster Plume Template Album No. 5.
  • Place just the frames, splatter, stain, text boxes and plumes.
  • Clip photos to masks.
  • Clip a photo to stains
Mask Screen Shots
  • Place copies of internet screenshots. Mask portions as needed.
  • Place lettuce screenshots in position below the small frames.
  • Add custom shadows as desired.
  • Adjust the position of template layers.
  • Stamp brush 10 from Fare No. 1 to the left on a new blank layer below the frames.
  • Add a splatter from another hipster template on the right.
  • Place just the alphabet beads from Food WordART No. 1 on the thread included in the template.

Learning to shop on line is fun, but challenging too. I didn’t realize until today that there is a box under each item in your cart to make a comment. So many little details to learn about these shopping apps. After the pandemic ends, I may never want to go back to the market.

Zucchini Noodles

By

On April 26, 2020

In Scrapbooking

With the need to stay home now, I’m experimenting more in the kitchen. I made a new recipe for marinara last week. I bought some frozen zucchini noodles and a little box of pasta for Bill. The marinara was very good, but the frozen zoodles were mushy. I probably microwaved them too long. That $4 bag was not even enough for one of us.

It didn’t take a long search online for me to find just the right tool. A young woman at Target brought it right out to my car that afternoon.

My new toy easily cut long noodles. Then I sauteed a T of butter, T of olive oil, shallots, garlic, red pepper, 1/4 cup white wine, 3T lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, shrimp and the zucchini noodles in a skillet. I knew I had a winner when Bill said the zucchini noodles were better than pasta. He wants them again

Template and Photos
  • Open file 3 from Simple FotoBlendz Album No. 4 and place on a new blank 12×12 document.
  • Reduce the size of all layers except the text boxes.
  • Shift the layers to the right.
  • Delete stain layers as desired or clip a photo to the stain. (I deleted one stain, clipped the photo to two and recolored one.
  • Adjust journaling.
  • Clip photos to small frames and FotoBlendz mask.
  • Place button below the thread and add a drop shadow.
Artsy Transfer
  • Open file 3 from Artsy Transfers Delicious.
  • Place below the template layers.
  • Delete and/or mask layers that conflict with the template design.
Embellish
  • Place Transfer 11 from ArtPlay Palette Delicious on the right.
  • Add two copies of Overlay from ArtPlay Palette Delicious, one on the left below the title and the other on the right.
  • Place word art from StoryStarters WordART Mix No. 2.
  • Add a color overlay to the wood word art. Change blend mode to Multiply at 100%. Add a drop shadow.

I’ve got to say there are two new things I’m loving about being home: pick up at Target and this Spiralizer. I bought some butternut squash to try next with my new marinara recipe.

Trust

By

On April 17, 2020

In Photography, Scrapbooking

The snow weighed heavily this morning, making it look like white blooms covered everything. While I’m waiting to get beyond this moment, I’m trusting God. The contrast between the weight of this morning’s snow and the flowers I photographed in March spoke to me about waiting and trusting God.

Frame a Photo
Expand Background with Transfer
Blend Photo into Background
  • Place snow photo below the transfer and to the left of framed photo.
  • Add a layer mask to erase and blend edges. Change the blend mode to Luminosity at 80%.
  • Duplicate the photo layer. Change the blend mode to Soft Light at 80%.
Embellish
  • Open psd file 4 from MultiMedia Flowers No. 8. Place above framed photo. Turn off the flower included with this psd file.
  • Replace the flower and shadow with the flowers from psd file 3. Reduce size and position.
  • Add word art “trust” from Faith WordART Mix No. 1 just below the multimedia flowers.
  • Add journaling.

Flattening the Curve

By

On April 12, 2020

In Scrapbooking

Wide blue tape marks where to stand for check out, barriers funnel people away from one another, black taped lines with arrows indicate one way aisles and special shopping hours for seniors encourage social distancing in an effort to flatten the curve. I try to shop as little as possible and wear a mask when I do go out. I appreciate the efforts that stores are making to protect everyone. However, it feels weird to take photos of signs now when I would like to be out capturing some tulips.

Design with a Brush

I began planning this page with a brush of the virus. It’s large, but right now this pandemic feels large as it consumes my life. Finishing the page was easy.

Color Brush with ArtsyKardz

Use the jpeg versions of ArtsyKardz Disquiet MultiPack to add color to the brush file.

  • Duplicate brush 5 and change the blend mode to Linear Blend. This copy will serve as the pattern for the ArtsyKardz layers.
  • Place jpeg file 1 from ArtsyKardz Disquiet MultiPack just below the top brush copy. Change the blend mode to Multiply with the opacity set to 100%. Use the warp tool to fit it to the shape of the brush.
  • Next, place the jpeg file 2 on the left of the brush.
  • Return to the top copy of the brush and use the Lasso Tool to make a rough copy of the left side of the brush. With the marching ants still active, click the jpeg file 2 layer and then the add a new layer mask. An inverted mask will appear. Leave the blend mode for this layer on Normal.
  • Add a Gaussian blur to the layer, about 20px.
  • Repeat process with another copy of jpeg file 2 for the part of the brush on the right. Change the blend mode to Linear Burn and reduce opacity to 75%.
Add Frames
Experiment

Initially, I thought that I’d use the sold gray paper from ArtPlay Palette Disquiet and only add Artsy Transfers. But after playing I realized that Artsy Paper 4 provided a nice background for my journaling and blended well with the brush.

Open psd file 8 from COVID-19 WordART Mix No. 1.

  • Drag layers just below text boxes.
  • Use the warp tool to fit the thread to the photo grouping.
  • Move the letters back into place on the thread.

Create a visual triangle of color

  • Place layers of file 5 from ArtsyTransfers Disquiet to the right of the title.
  • Reduce the opacity of the paper layer to 50%.

Keep Calm

By

On April 5, 2020

In Photography, Scrapbooking

Am I anxious during this pandemic? My iPhone usage has gone up 30%. I’ve made lists. I’ve ordered from my lists for delivery and pick-up. This week I researched how to make a cotton mask on the web. That involved locating thread, elastic and cotton fabric. After a few failures, I’ve finally created a working mask design. I am waiting for shipments of elastic so that I can finish.

My iPhone asked me this morning whether I wanted to set limits on my usage. “No,” my inner voice yelled, “you’re keeping me organized so I can keep calm and carry on.

I am currently photographing close to home, i.e. sewing a cotton face mask. For this page:

This morning I wrote my journaling as I try to find order and a new routine, a bit of an oxymoron during a pandemic.

Just Like This

By

On March 17, 2020

In Photography, Scrapbooking

Six weeks ago, Adryane and I walked in the warm California sun, photographing art nestled in the brush along the path near her home. Across the bay we could see downtown San Francisco. Oh for more time just like this.

I’m currently staying home, but I look forward to life returning to normal. While I’m home, I’m playing with some of the photos that I made in February.

Artsy Transfer and Paper
  • Place solid paper 1 from ArtPlay Palette Ordinaire on a new blank document.
  • Place the layers file 2 from Artsy Transfers Ordinaire above the solid paper.
  • Delete one transfer layer.
  • Place mask 3 from FramedMasks No. 6.
  • Clip black and white photo to mask. Add a color style to the photo and reduce the opacity.
Framed Mask
  • Place the layers of file 1 from FramedMasks No. 6 above the artsy transfer.
  • Clip art to framed mask.
  • Clip photo of scene to FotoBlendz mask and stains.
Embellish
  • Place layers of file 3 from MultiMedia Flowers No. 7 above the framed photo.
  • Add color overlay to darken the flower layer. Use mask to bring back in the green.
  • Adjust the ribbon with a color overlay.
  • Place word art from Everyday WordART Mix No. 1 over the blended photo.

Boat

By

On March 8, 2020

In Photography, Scrapbooking

My sister and I took the ferry across to Balboa Island in February. There were lots of beautiful boats to photograph. My favorite is the little red rowboat. Nearly 50 years ago, Bill and I had a boat, not one like any of these that I photographed at Balboa Island a few weeks ago, but a 17 foot inboard outboard for waterskiing. The hardest part of this layout was trying to blend an old photo with current photos.

Use a Template
  • Open template 6 from FotoInspired Template Pack No. 2M.
  • Drag the layers to a new blank 12×12 page.
  • Reduce the template size to 85%.
  • Adjust photos in Lightroom.
  • Clip photos to masks.
Use Artsy Transfers
  • Create composites of Artsy Transfers Sea Life, files 2 and 5 by clicking command+option+shift+E after selecting all layers of each psd file.
  • Clip each composite to mask below text and adjust position.
  • Place old photo and use blending brushes to blend it into the transfers.
Build a Cluster

Yes, that is me skiing behind our boat in the old blended photo below the text.

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