I have finally learned to do PSE Actions!

You can click on any photo to make it larger.

coffeeshop vintage action

coffeeshop orton action

coffeeshop blueberry glaze action


coffeeshop honey retro action (with cropping)



coffeeshop honey retro and Irish breakfast tea
I am really digging this combined action effect!

coffeeshop vintage attic with added scratch texture (I left the opacity at a higher percent for a heavier texture effect.)

vivid 2 action

*This is totally noticeable when compared with the original pic-SOOC (straight out of camera.)

I am loving the muted tones on this one! It really looks sweet with the concrete background!

*coffeeshop urban action with vignette.

*color pop action

*This one makes the SOOC pic so dull looking!

I call this one: "I declare!"

*canvas texture

*This has a damask texture.

I erased away the texture on Lauren's body so that it looks like the wood slats from the barn have a damask print. It took me forever! I hard a difficult time around her hair on the right side. But, for my first attempt, it's not too shabby. I was up way too late on a Friday night with Lauren having a 9:00 am soccer match the next morning. Oh well!

Well, after lots and lots of time wasted on the computer reading up on PSE actions and searching for sites, I finally stumbled across a blog with free actions that are compatible with my Photoshop elements program. Did I mention they were free??!!! I was so thrilled to not only find a ton of awesome, free actions to download, but I was most proud that I was able to teach myself this difficult task! I know that Philip and Lauren have put up with me spending too much time on the computer trying to figure this stuff out...but all of my researching has paid off. The blog that I got the actions from is called: http://coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/2007/09/photoshop-elements-pse-actions-and.html

Yes, PSE does come with a few of it's own textures and actions, but they are lame compared to what I was really wanting to achieve. I was wanting to add that element of art to my portraits. That's why I've been searching out more. But, the tricky part was how in the world to load them onto the program for easy use? Friday night, I was finally able to figure it out! I suppose that I could've done this sooner, but who has the time, right?

I am currently using the Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 program. Philip was able to score me a free copy from a local dentist. The PSE program came to the Dr. free with the purchase of some expensive, fancy dental equipment....& now it's all mine...hahahaha (insert menacing laugh! just kidding!)

Now, after learning so much about how to use the program, I don't think that I'll ever really need the more expensive, more complicated photoshop version! I am over the moon with my new skills! Here are a few that I have been playing with! Enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Denim, Pettiskirts, & Textures

The following pictures have been edited and textures have been added using Photoshop Elements 5.0. More to come as I learn!

Texture by Ninian Lif.

Texture by gregussen.

Texture by skeletal mess.



I thought this was interesting since she reminded me of a butterfly twirling around! I can't remember where I got this texture.

All of the pictures below are SOOC (straight out of the camera) with no post processing.

I've still learning and playing around with using the photoshop Elements 5.0 program and adding layers (or textures) to my photographs. It really adds an element of art to the portrait. I still have a lot to learn, but I am definitely enjoying playing around with it. I suppose that the more I play with this software and the look of certain textures with various subjects, the better I will become! I hope that Lauren will enjoy these pictures some day when she is old enough to appreciate them! Hahaha!

She was a good little model on Sunday after church. I wanted to take some portraits of her at in my parents yard in the pettiskirt that we bought her for Christmas. My goodness, if only I had known about tutus and pettiskirts she she was a baby or toddler....my heavens! Well, I'm making up for it now!

Interview with a 5 year old

Well, I saw this exact interview that a friend of mine did with her own 5 year old and it was cute. So, I just had to try it out for myself! Enjoy the answers!

An Interview with a Five Year Old.
(Lauren)

March 11, 2009

*THESE ARE Lauren’s ANSWERS. I will not attempt to change or re-write anything she said.*

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Don’t talk to strangers.

2. What makes mom happy?
To clean up my room.

3. What makes mom sad?
If I don’t tell the truth.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Tickle me.

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Do baton and go outside and play.

6. How old is your mom?
Ummm...14….40….49…..15….60….I don’t know how old you are, Momma?

7. How tall is your mom?
A grown up tall…as tall as a grown up. As tall as a tree…no, a lion!

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

Spend time with her daughter. (how sweet!)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

You go out shopping or go to work.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

Singing.

11. What is your mom really good at?

Working as a teacher.

12. What is your mom not very good at?

Playing volleyball. (??? When do I ever do that?)

13. What does your mom do for a job?

Works as a teacher.

14.What is your mom's favorite food?

Uhhh….pears….chicken nuggets. (hum….interesting!)

15.What makes you proud of your mom?

Helps me learn my numbers.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

Kim Possible.

17. What do you and your mom do together?

Spend girl nights together, we like to go shopping together, we like to get ice cream out together, Barbie dolls…

18. How are you and your mom the same?
By our personality, attitudes, we like to go shopping…

19. How are you and your mom different?

Our height, our hair color…I don’t have anything else to say.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

Because you spank me. You say you spank me because you love me. You say I love you in sign language, you say, “I love you, baby doll!”

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

He’s smart, handsome, he’s a good Daddy, and he’s special to you.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

Target

Lauren's Cozy Outfit

For Lauren's 5th birthday, her Daddy picked out an adorable Adidas outfit from Toys R Us all by himself. He bought a pair of cotton athletic pants, a short sleeved "cheerleader" shirt, and a 3/4 length sleeved striped top. Lauren was loved and has worn this outfit as much as possible since receiving it, and I have worked hard to keep it clean and "spot free." Lauren has always used the word "cozy" when referring to comfortable clothing, so she calls this her cozy outfit. What's most precious is that Philip bought it for her, and I didn't even have a hand in picking it out. Usually either myself or Memaw Ratledge buys all of Lauren's clothing. For Daddy to do this really was special. Of course, accessories, such as a purse or jewelry, are usually worn with her special outfit! That's our little girl!

My New Cozy Pajamas

Lauren has been loving pajamas for the past year now. When I say "love," I mean that she wants to put them on as soon as she gets home, even it is is still during the middle of the day! For Valentine's Day, Memmie and Pappy gave Lauren Disney's High School Musical flannel pj's with a matching fleece rope. Lauren is in love with her new pajamas and is very proud of them. She is also loving the white teddy bear that we gave her for a Valentine's Day gift. She has taken an interest is stuffed animals just recently. Through the years, she has always preferred her baby dolls (they always had to be bald), but now her interests are beginning to change as she grows older and matures. Baby dolls are making way for Barbies and stuffed animals.

Experimenting with Photoshop Elements Textures

Well, I have been really interested for some time about using textures and layering with photo editing software. There are tons of free texture jpegs out there to download, all you need is the right computer software. I have found all of mine for free on Flickr. Philip obtained a free copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 from a dentist today. The dentist got if for free with the purchase of some sort of equipment, and he let Philip have it because he was not using it & didn't really need it.

I have been playing all night tonight and have FINALLY figured out how to do layering and textures. It really depends on manipulating the opacity level of the layers. I have played with a few pictures of Lauren, and was so excited about it that I just had to show them immediately! I know that there is still a lot to learn, but I am happy that all of the time that I have spent trying to figure out how to do this has paid off! What makes me the most happy, however, is that I figured this out all by MYSELF without Philip's help! In the words of London Tipton, character from Disney's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," ....YEAH ME!!!

Happy Valentine's Day, 2009

Lauren with her Valentine's rose from her sweet Daddy.

Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday this year, and it was the perfect opportunity to not only spend the day with Lauren, but for Philip and I to spend the evening together alone as a couple. This is a very rare treat that we have rarely given ourselves through the years. Lauren will occasionally spend the night with her Aunt Julie, but it never happens more then 2- 4 times a year if even that many. Perhaps we should at least go out to eat and let someone watch Lauren more often, but we just don't. I already feel like I miss out on being with her already since I am a working mother. I believe that is why I want to spend as much time with her as possible!

We spent the morning at Lauren's cheerleading game. She has really opened up and has built up her confidence. She is doing a cartwheel at half time and jumps after cheers now. My parents came to watch her cheer, and they took us out to lunch in south Knoxville at the Chop House. It was fun to spend time with them as well as generous that they insisted on paying. For Valentine's Day, Philip bought Lauren a rose, just as he always does each year. It is so precious to me that he carries out the same tradition that his father did for Lauren's Aunt Julie. This year, it was a gorgeous pink rose, which is Lauren's favorite color. I took some photographs of Lauren on the porch with her rose, and I can't decide which photo I like the best!

During the evening, Lauren was very excited to get the opportunity to spend the night with her Aunt Julie and Uncle Steve. She had so much fun playing with cousin David. Lauren slept on a large couch cushion in their bedroom floor.

Philip and I had a fun Valentine's Day. I planned the entire evening myself, but it would appear that Philip planned it, however! We ate dinner at Hooters, went to Brackins to watch Blue Mother Tupelo (our favorite band) play, and went to Gunny's shooting range on Sunday morning. I haven't had that much fun in I don't know when! Thank you, Philip and Lauren for being the best Valentine's gifts that I could ever ask for!! I love you both so very much!

Pre-K Valentine Party

Thursday, February 12th, 2009 was Lauren's last official preschool/daycare party. They had a Valentine's party today at 3:00 PM. I can't begin to express how sad that I was that I was unable to attend due to a Porter faculty meeting. Lauren took a shoebox to school and decorated it at school for the party. She passed out valentines that had the Disney High School Musical characters on them. It was Lauren's last party at Broadway Baptist Daycare, and I wasn't able to be there with her. I should look on the bright side and say that I was able to attend her pre-K 5th birthday party as well as being the only parent to attend the Christmas party.

People tell me that I should be glad that I was able to attend and do as much as I am able to do with her since my teaching job ends the day at 3:00 PM and I have summers and holidays off. However, that doesn't ease my mind that work stood in the way of my baby's last little party milestone. It's no secret that I've always longed to have had the opportunity to be a stay at home mother. I suppose that I was able to do that as well as work if you look at a teacher's summer and holiday schedule.

I have been able to attend quite a few of her parties over the years at BBCCC. They always start at 3:00, and that gives me the time to leave school a little earlier then normal and get there on time to help pass out food and watch Lauren with her friends. It was always such a joy to see her little face light up when I walked in the room, and she would run over to me and say, "Mommy, you're here!" I am so glad that she has made good friends and has been cared for by such caring people at her daycare, and for this I am grateful.

Winter Cheers

My adorable little Cheerleader was so excited to be cheering

for the first time!

I couldn't resist having her pose on the court after a game...you know me!

Showing Mommy her high kicks!

Concentrating and remembering all of those chants

and moves was hard work, but Lauren shined like a

star on the court!

Cheering on the ball teams before a game.

There was only one cheer squad per game, and they cheered for both teams.

I thought that encouraged good sportsmanship.

The proud parents!

Cousin David and Aunt JuJu came to one game, and David

did an excellent job sitting still with Lauren while she cheered. You know

how hard it is to get a toddler to sit still!

Showing Mommy her high jump!

2009 brought a "dream " come true for Lauren...cheerleading! Yep, that's right! At the same church where Lauren plays fall/spring soccer, they offer basketball and cheerleading during the winter months. Well, Lauren has talked non-stop about cheerleaders since she was 3. She would say "it's my dream to be a cheerleader." Well, who am I to stand in the way of a 5 year old realizing her dream? He he he

Frankly, I was hoping that she would be interested in basketball instead, since she has the height and athleticism for it. However, that is just not where her interests lie, so it would not be in her best interest to force her to participate in something that she does not have interest in. My father was a bit disappointed about that, big basketball fan that he is, but he understood our decision. But, to see Lauren out there cheering, building up her confidence and courage, turning cartwheels, and doing jumps, you would have thought that she'd been at it for quite a while. Lauren was a natural. I do believe that it was the 2 years in dance that has helped her!

We'll see what next winter holds as far as what activity Ladybug chooses. I had mentioned to her about the possibility of alternating years between cheering and basketball, and she seemed open to that idea. We were all so proud of our little Ladybug trying so hard and putting forth so much effort. She probably had the largest cheering section of any cheerleader or ball player on the court! She is a hard worker and good listener. She always has a lot of determination to try her best in everything that she does. That life skill will take her far in whatever career path she chooses some day.