Happy Memorial Day to my American friends and family.
Remembering everyone that has passed today and each and every day cherishing the memories of the love we shared.
It wasn't much of SUN day here. Another dreary weekend. Caught up with things around the house, worked on a few translations (to have more time for a larger writing project next week) and basically amused myself playing around with effects and textures in Lightroom and Photoshop.
I always thought that I would take up painting and I find with textures, it fulfills that desire in me and yet, no brushes to wash, no paint to store! =D
I guess my next step will be to create textures of my own. I've done a few and liked the process of the final product being totally mine.
But for now, there are some great sources out there.
Florabella, Shadowhouse Creations and Kim Klassen to name a few.
Be sure to check them out and give textures a whirl, but be forewarned, they are highly addictive!
This shot was taken in my kitchen, last year around the same time of the year. If I am not mistaken those flowers are from a large bouquet the Mr. bought me for our anniversary. The florist loves to mix everything together into this one huge bouquet... I like to deconstruct it and place flowers by color or type or composition in smaller vases and pots around the house.
These small lily-type flowers last forever.
I placed them in a copper jug that was my mom's. She had a great copper collection... mostly things for display. Great molds and pans and jugs and such. I only took this one after she passed. I am not much for displays, but I think she would be happy to see that I use it often, filling it with flowers and placing it on my white kitchen table.
The texture used here is one of my favorites from Kim Klassen. I've used it many times before, including here:
The rain has been so heavy and relentless this spring, I haven't had time to notice the flowers or what is blooming.
This shot was taken in my neighborhood, I was running out on an errand and at the last minute, thought "why am I bothering taking my camera?" but am glad I did. The umbrella was not a prop and I am almost ashamed to admit that I didn't get out of the car to take this shot.
As for the color selective processing, the choice was easy. That's the way I saw the shot... impossibly grey with bits of red... an umbrella abandoned in the road. Did the person take cover in a house and as they were trying to close the umbrella it was lifted away by the wind? Was it a couple bound closely in a kiss that just let it drop? Was it simply on someone's porch to dry until a quick breeze set it afloat in the air?
Who knows... I started the tale... you can finish it!
