Celebrating Blue Sky

The last day of February we had brilliant sun and blue sky. Visiting Lake View I took photos but espeically liked small seedpods against that sky. A challenge this month called for using a certain technique (that I don't seem to have in PaintShopPro) to remove an unwanted bit of a photo. I had bits of (out of focus) twigs from another plant that I didn't want. Here's my celebration of that blue sky and the before and after photos..

Designer Credits:
by Studio Romy
-papers, bead, scallop border: Naturally
-frame, stitching, overlays: Painterly
-button, circles, doodle: New Beginning
fonts: Dali, Harrington, Corbel

BEFORE

AFTER

 

Fall Color is Coming

There's a piece in today's paper with a prediction that fall color will peak here at a more normal mid-October rather than late in the month. The reason given was plentiful rain in early summer. How curious!

All that made me go looking for fall color photos. I love this particular view in Lake View.

Loving Butterflies

Last month's copycat challenge was a beautiful inspiration and template. I did it with photos of a Mourning Cloak butterfly that was very cooperative. Everyone did beautiful things with this one.

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Designer Credits:
-template: May Copycat Challenge by Elisa (EHDesigns) based on "sail away" by ViVre http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=258300
-papers: ArtPlay Palette Wild Paperie by Anna Aspnes
-button: Life As I Know It by Vera Lim Designs
fonts: LoosieScript, Blue Highway

Deer with no fear & Signs of Spring!

Yesterday we had proof that spring is coming. We had a pair of Mourning Doves in the pine tree behind our yard. They were the first we'd seen this year and that is a tree in which they nest. So, we're still waiting for our first grackle, but Cardinals are now singing in the morning and the doves are pairing up. Great Blue Herons are also reported returning to a local rookery. Still, we're looking for winter birds. A lot of White-winged Crossbills have been reported and one winter some stayed in Lake View. We are checking the hemlocks, their cones a favored food source. Yesterday we made a quick check before closing time as it was sunny and gorgeous. We didn't see many birds, but did encounter a group of four bold suburban deer. Newly planted trees in Lake View now have wire protection to prevent deer feeding on them. One of my photos seemed a good choice for a creative techniques challenge on blending with gradients. The tutorial was for PSE, so I had to wing it in PSP.

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Designer Credits:
-background, pale paper, star: Oscraps Collab Homespun
-patterned paper (blended), word art (blended), painted cluster: Photographed in Black & White by Sue Cummings
fonts: Davida Bd BT, Pea Beth

Last Lovely Day?

Yesterday was such a beautiful day, sunny with a high just about 60! We each had things to do in the morning, but in the afternoon we went out to enjoy what might be the last warm day of the year. We saw some good birds and found there was still some fall color to enjoy despite snow the day before.

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Designer Credits:
-papers: Italian Coffee Blends by Creations by TinaMarie
-stitching: All Stitched by Kitty Designs
-word art: Wordart-Sweet+Simple by Sue Cummings
fonts: Staccato222 BT, Boopee

Fall Blooming Bushes

Last week we were delighted with bushes in Lake View that were in full bloom even though their leaves were turning color. The flowers looked much paler and prettier up close. We had frost Saturday morning, but not a freeze, so they're probably still fine. I used some photos of them for my first challenge for November, this one a copycat or template challenge.

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Designer Credits:
template by Elisa (EHStudios) for Nov. Copycat Challenge based on "Play Is The Exultation Of The Possible" by Lorileigh
-background, most papers: A Hopping Halloween Collab Kit by the Lilypod & Oscraps
-darker gray and brown papers: All Hallow's Night, Leora Sanford Designs
-glitter element: The Silver Flakes by Kitty Designs
-swirls (blended): ArtPlay Palette Encapsulate Dido Designs collab with Anna Aspnes 
-brush: ArtPlay Palette Barren Sunrise by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Enchanted Prairie Dog, Kings of Pacifica, Minya Nouvelle

Fabulous Orange Mushrooms

Last week we drove through Lake View and were surprised to see a big old oak tree ringed with bright orange mushrooms. I had to take lots of photos of them. That led to a series of scrapbook pages. The multi-photo one shows the general scene and uses a Quick Page and Template. The identity of the mushrooms and a little about them is in a color challenge page. A color or palette was not specified, but we had to "lift" a color from our photo. Last, a designer new to Oscraps has a free kit and a challenge to use it. I think it is perfect for me and my favorite photo of the lot.

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Designer Credits:
-template: Simply Quick No. 39 by Sue Cummings
-background paper (blended with photo) from Sketchbook Artistry No. 1 by Sue Cummings
fonts: harrison, Lithograph

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Designer Credits:
-background & orange papers, stamp from Rachel by Lydia Designs
-glitter, brown paper from Blessing by Lydia Designs
-masks for papers from ArtPlay Palette No. 10 by Anna Aspnes
-orange dots from ArtPlay Palette Saffron Villa Freebie by Anna Aspnes
-doodle from Grafitti by Fei-fei's Stuff
-plant drawing from Profiles No. 2 by Fei-fei's Stuff
fonts: Angel Tears, James Fajardo, Kartika

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Designer Credits:
ArtPlay Palette Saffron Villa Freebie by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Dungeon, Erie Black, Erie

Beautiful Autumn Day Remembered

I scrapped a very similar photo back in 2008, but couldn't resist taking more photos last October. This week's inspiration kit had such gorgeous colors that I couldn't resist it and had to pair the two. It's amazing how this looks like a country road, but is really a lane along the ravine in Lake View at the intersection of three cities.

I think autumn is coming much too soon for me. Last week I first noticed goldenrod beginning to bloom then saw leaves on the neighbor's American dogwood turning red. Last night seemed actually chilly. I complain when it seems to turn summer in May, but this may be the other side of the same thing. Well, this photo wasn't taken until October 26th last year, so there should be lots of loveliness to enjoy.

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Designer Credits:
52 Inspirations (2011) Week 33 by Sue Cummings
-birds from Black and White by Sue Cummings
font: Euromode

A Few Winter Leaves

I don't think I even realized there were a number of small trees of Sweetbay Magnolia in Lake View until January 1st when the silvery undersides of their leaves caught my eye. I've scrapped my favorite photo of them for a web inspiration challenge. Maybe the leaves stood out more then as there was no snow when we started the new year. We have a bit now but are worrying about tomorrow when they are threatening lots of snow and my sister is supposed to be flying to California in the late afternoon. We're keeping our fingers crossed all goes well.

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Designer Credits: Stamp My Heart by Kitty Designs
fonts: Copperplate Gothic Light, Bradley Hand ITC, Boopee

Christmas Bird Count Today

Today was our Christmas Bird Count, one of the biggest birding days for us. We cover Lake View Cemetery in the morning and various places in the afternoon. It was sunny, a bit like the photo from last week. There was snow cover and ponds frozen, streams partly frozen. We started at 7:30 when it was light, but sunrise wasn't until 7:48. It was about 14 F. with SSW winds creating a wind chill of only 2 F. We do dress warmly, so were never too cold, or at least not for long. It did warm up, but only to about 30.

We didn't see a lot of birds and missed some goodies we saw earlier in the month, but we did have our special Merlin though only in the late afternoon. We are just a small part of the whole group covering our count circle, so it will be interesting to see the overall result.

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Designer Credits: kit Spicy Winter by Lady Papillon
fonts: Girls are Weird, Scriptina, Tempus Sans ITC