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Photo a Day Part 5

Here is my almost finished August photo a day list.  I have one more photo to take  so it will appear later.  We will also be doing a photo a day challenge for September.  This time is is more focused and we are using literary references, like titles, quotes and thoughts from books. You can find the list HERE and come play along.  I LOVE the ladies at Get It Scrapped we just all play at our own pace and in our own style.  It is more about having fun 🙂

Day 27 – apple of my eye

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OK so no apple but here is an eye and it has a food reference connected with it.  The first time Lori met Maisey the very first thing she said about her is “she has onion ring eyes”.  Yep not she is so cute, she is so soft, I am so excited, nope not Lori she gets a food reference in there and observes Maisey’s unusual eye color.

28 – coffee, tea or me

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Hot chocolate instead for me please 🙂

29 – lemon

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So I know this is silly but it is a lemon and this is where it sits forgotten shoved to the back of the fridge with ear medicine for the dog that we used last December and pickles that have not been touched in almost that long.  I am sure I need to check some expiration dates back there he he.

30 – arrow to my heart

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So a stretch once again but I am a sucker for good light.  I LOVE finding the light glowing through foxtails or that golden hour on any subject matter.  So I am claiming good light as an arrow to my heart, yep!

The photo I still need to take is looking up.  I know what I want to take but have not found it yet.  I AM GOING TO COMPLETE IT, I just haven’t gotten it yet 🙂

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Photo a Day Part 4

Closing in on the end of the month and I have two last groups of photos for my photo a day challenge at Get It Scrapped.  We will be doing a new challenge for the month of September so if you would like to join in on the fun head over to find the list of topics for your photo inspiration.  HERE IS A LINK

Day 20 – Shadow Dancing

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Here are my 3 favorite people lined up for a shadow shot!

Day 21 – Sweet, Sour or Sassy

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Sweet and sassy YES!   Happy B-day to my 11 year old!

Day 22 – Don’t Bug Me

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I was having trouble finding a bug but at the moment my allergies are BUGGING me in a big way.  The evidence is my bangs being tucked back and glasses on for about 4 weeks depending on how long the fall season lasts.

Day 23 – You’re my Favorite

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Yep these 3 are my absolute favorite!

Day 24 – Slim Pickin’s

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Our tomatoes and cucumbers are definitely NOT slim pickin’s this year we get buckets like this 2 or 3 times a week.

Day 25 – Shrimp on the Barbie

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Well it was not shrimp BUT it was crab legs, was being the key word 🙂 Yumm!

Day 26 – Baby Got Back

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OK so I am the first to admit that I have “back”, the ice cream is probably not going to help he he! But oh so good!

I will have one last group of photos next week.  I am struggling with a few of the last ones.  Creative interpretation will probably be key.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

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Ombre and Gallery Wall

I have two layouts post at Get It Scrapped in the past two days so i figured it was easiest to post them here together as well.  The first is a layout inspired by Gallery walls.  The ladies at Get It Scrapped collected a lovely collection of artfully arranged gallery walls on Pinterest and asked us to create a layout inspired by a gallery wall.

Gallery

Home Is Where The Heart Is by Michelle Houghton | Supplies: cardstock; Kraft, spray mists; Adirondack, ink; Sharpie, gesso; Golden, embroidery floss; unknown

The base of this layout was created by using spray mists with stencils and then after it had dried using a dry brush with gesso over the page.  Because the inks are water based I did get a little color pulling up into the gesso which I love.  I then printed my photos at home after cropping them and turning them black and white.  I printed them on matte photo paper so they stayed very contrasty and clean.  When I trimmed them I purposefully left the white paper around the edge of the photo to create the look of frames.  Each one of the photos got a embroidery floss hanger.  I just poked a hole in each top corner and threaded the floss through, tying it in back.  I had really tiny brads that look like screws so each photo was “hung” with a brad and then I added the journaling, title and doodles with my Sharpies.

Check out the rest of the Creative Team’s gallery walls HERE

Today’s article was featuring layouts using ombre to enhance the feel of the layout.  Here is the layout I contributed:

Ombre

Hiking Into the Past by Michelle Houghton | Supplies: ink; Copic and Sharpie, sticker letters; Jenni Bowlin, cardstock, small sticker letters and trim unknown.

I am pretty excited about this layout, I love how the background turned out.  I used Copic markers specifically B05,  E07 and E09 to create the airbrushed ombre effect.  I have a “cloud” scalloped stencil that I created just for this effect and then I tore a piece of cardstock for the layered red rock look that is so indicative of Arizona. After adding my photos and title, a portion of which were colored with my Copics to match I added journaling about our hike through petroglyphs and the fact that Lori completed all but the last 100 yards or so in a full boot because of her broken toe on the trip.  She is the one on Dad’s shoulders in the upper right photo.  The trim was an amazing find at the Creating Keepsakes Convention last year and sadly I do not know who made it but I knew it would be perfect for these layouts.

Check out all the amazing ombre effect from the Creative Team HERE

We are doing great here, girls are LOVING the start to their 3rd and 5th grade years. Oh and I have an 11 year old at my house YIKES how did that happen!?  We are melting in temperatures hitting over 100 most late afternoons right now hoping the end is close.

Happy end of August to you all!

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Pinwheels

I shared an easy tutorial on how to make your own pinwheels at Get It Scrapped this week.  There is really nothing to them.  They are, as we like to say, easy peasy!

Here is the layout I created using my pinwheels:

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Spring Has Sprung by Michelle Houghton | Supplies: cardstock; American Crafts, patterned papers, vellum tags and brads; SEI, ink; Sharpie, sticker letters and words; Cosma Cricket, trims; unknown

Click HERE to read about how to put these fun pinwheels together.

Click HERE to see more inspiration with pinwheels!

Also Amy Kingsford has been writing an amazing series about finding inspiration in your surroundings and all three articles are must read material.  Click HERE to read the third installment and get links to the first two.

Happy weekend all!

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August Photo a Day – part 3

OK so i am falling a little behind!  I am going to have to cheat a little extra to finish up all my photos BUT I will make it work!  Here are 5 more of my photos for my photo a day challenge at Get It Scrapped!

Day 14- Grow

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My girls keep swapping out who is taller!  Lori had Sara beat about mid summer but Sara has pulled ahead again!  All I know is that these two just keep growing!

Day 15 – Blue Skies Smiling at Me

image(13)So not exactly blue skies BUT I couldn’t resist trying to capture the reflection of the sunrise that greeted me on this morning.  The blue skies have certainly been smiling here these days.

Day 16 – Get to the Point

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A needle without a point, I worked a couple days on a small piece of crochet to put on a project for Get It Scrapped.

Day 17 – School Days

image(14)Might be my best shot yet.  There is nothing better then 2 big smiles at the END of the first day of school!

Day 18 – Water Works

image(7)image(12)We decided after the third day of school to break out the slip n’slide.  We ended up with 10 kids in our front yard it waas great fun.  Lori and Sara decided to try some tumbling passes (at least somersaults) into the water.

Day 19 – Dog Days

imageYep, poor Maisey is stuck with just me again.  Quiet house for she and I.  I am not near as exciting as the two girls rumbling around the house I am sure 🙂

So the mission this week is to get a few more checked off!  I can do it!

Have a great Friday all!