Welcome Santa

The Olde Tyme Christmas in Harper's Ferry is so much fun.  This year's Santa did not have as good a beard as Bob's!

To make my banner, I typed "Welcome Santa" using a block font, then printed and cut around the words.  I ran those through my Xyron sticker maker and attached to the canvas trim.  I "hung" it like the actual banner which was strung across the street in Harper's Ferry.

I purchased 3 cards of the black poinsettia buttons for $2.00 at an antique shop last summer.  

Hope everyone has time to relax in this holiday season!
 
 

Weathered

The weathered ruins are all that remain of St. John's Episcopal Church--one of Harpers Ferry's 5 earliest churches.  Built in 1852, St. John's served as a hospital and barracks during the Civil War and suffered considerable damage.  December, 2012

I used several techniques on this layout to add texture:  I sprayed the circle chipboard with glimmermist, then added sea salt.  (After drying I removed the large chunks of salt).  I colored the texture paste with acrylic paint prior to icing it across the tree and fence masks.  Finally, I added a piece of adhesive dry wall mesh to the bottom of the layout.

Can you believe the blue sky we had Saturday?  Here's wishing you the same! 

1939

My Mother received this certificate when she was 13 1/2 for completing the advanced course in the Palmer Method of Business Writing.  The Palmer Method of penmanship, popular in the early 20th century, involved muscle motion, speed and plainness.  As you can see, there was nothing plain about Mom!  February 23, 1939.

The handwriting at the top of the page is from the Palmer Instruction material which I found on the internet.  The practice sentences said:  "It is not so much the amount of practice, as the kind of practice that counts.  It is the constant effort to acquire precision that leads to success in writing."

 The certificate is an actual photograph of the one Mom received.  The original is big and has pretty pink and blue ribbon attached to the seal.

Digital Tutorial: Color Enhancing Photos

It didn't have to be Christmas for our younger son, Chris, to have fun with his friends. When this picture was taken at the start of the holiday season 2010, he called it "festive." The photo was taken with a cell phone camera and was not very sharp. The kids both wore red shirts. To enhance it, I edited it in Photoshop by duplicating a layer in black and white, then erasing the shirts to reveal the reds.  I will demonstrate using a recent photo of my Mom (donning a Christmas sweatshirt!):

Open the photo, then duplicate it in a second layer. 

Convert the second layer to grayscale. To do this click on "Image," "Mode," then "Grayscale."

Select the eraser tool.

Make the brush diameter bigger at first to erase the center of the shirt, then smaller for the edges of the shirt.

Erase the shirts to reveal the red color:

This is the final image:

This "Digital corner" is published in the December issue of Scrapbooking.com. 
 

The Light Shone

The day was beautiful and the enclosed Nativity scene the same as Bob and I photographed different characters from different angles.  I was looking for the right title and quote for my layout when my blogging friend Amy posted this quote on her site:

"Rise, happy morn, rise, holy morn,

Draw forth the cheerful day from night:

O Father, touch the East and light the light

That shone when Hope was born."

~Alfred Lord Tennyson

Photo from Oglebay Park 2012.  I used the back of a beautiful die cut paper as a mask for my background.  (I can still use the paper on another layout.....) 

FNCE

Over the years I've had my picture taken with the Bush Beans dog and a California Raisin.  I've donned the milk mustache and sat on the throne as the Pistachio Nut Queen.  This year I guess you could call me a ham when I posed for the "cover" of the Academy's Food and Nutrition publication.  I chose the grain prop as I really am a whole grains star.  I'm fortunate when I'm able to attend the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo.  2012

My layout has some ephemera from the expo.  Note the egg carton brochure cover  and the pear CD cover which I kept thinking I might be able to use them someday!

Merry

It has become a tradition to go to Oglebay's Festival of Lights and this year was extra special when Chris went with us.  The music was festive and the weather perfect.  November 2012