Coneflower Love

These babies have ravished my heart. 

The common pink coneflower I planted last year didn't survive the winter. There are a few volunteers out there but I think they may all be yellow. Most are still quite small. The rabbits seem to enjoy them more than is allowed. 

I bought a few new ones this summer. They were all shades of coral and orange when they were planted. So far this color is all that's blooming.

I dusted off my Lens Baby (Composer Pro with Double Glass Optic, 4 aperture) and tried out a few new presets for Lightroom.

Lightroom Presets Summer Collection- Summer 2

Lightroom Presets Summer Collection- Summer 10 with additional adjustments. 

This one is my most favorite, at least for today.

I didn't care that this ended up out of focus. I really like it this way. 

Rad Lab Replichrome Sample Pack Tweaks, Curve:: Fade+++ This is a free 'try me' part of Rad Lab's  Lightroom Film Presets. This is the first time I've played with it. Not sure that I'll spend the money, we'll see.

Matt Kloskowski's preset  Twilight (Strong) Another freebie.

Rad Lab ReplichromeII Sample Pack Films, E100G Calibrated+

Absolutely no edits! When I went to look up my info on this one I couldn't believe I had not done ANY edits. (Makes me want to go back and play.)

I used several fonts in my word art, (Yes, I broke the rule of no more than 2 or three max.)

Merged them to one layer.

Added a mask, added a gradient to the mask from the bottom so BLUR would fade out.

Duplicated my layer and applied the mask. 

Added a slight vertical motion blur. 

Added a new mask to it. 

Selectively brushed away and added back on the mask of both text layers.

Added a texture to my type layer set on multiply.

Do you feel like you get lost in the blur? 

I often do.

Every time I turn around, it's Friday again. 

Better than Monday right?

Texture Tuesday June 3

It's Texture Tuesday over at Kim's blog today. The theme is …. Nature!

Come on over and check out what everyone's been texturing.

My poppies are blooming in all their glory. I took my lens baby out to see what I could do.

kk_100 Multipy and an old film frame by 2lilOwls.

The daisies are particularly fond of posing for the lensbaby.

This was a bit interesting.

This was shot with the soft focus optic.

I have made some interesting discoveries this week about red flowers and Lightroom. I'll try to post about that later this week.

There is a learning curve with the Lensbaby but I am determined to conquer it.

Friday Finds May 23

I found the most gorgeous (sofa-type) table this week. But alas, I can't find an excuse to buy it. It won't fit anywhere but on my patio (where I really want it). But I know hubby would have a fit because now the chairs I just bought would loose their spot. What's a girl to do? I looked around at work and there may be a spot.... Or I could replace the sofa table in the living room with this one. It doesn't match anything in there, that's for sure. It's grey weathered wood. Just perfect for shooting still life on. I need to look harder at that patio arrangement....
In the mean time the poppies have spring forth from the garden! They volunteered among the volunteer daisies. Love the combination for a little lensbaby shoot.

Daisies seem to be great subjects for the lenbaby.

And this is my to die for orange coneflower. I still haven't got it in the ground and now that it's finally raining it may be a few more days.

Since this has turned into a lens baby post… here's a few more. Macro attached.

Have a great holiday weekend! We will be rejoicing in the rain. If it keeps up it will break this 3 year drought.

Linking up with kim at Friday Finds.

Texture Tuesday May13

Since the Texture Tuesday theme is yellow this week I had to take the pink out of my photo. (most of it) I had fun editing this. In fact I've had too much fun editing this past weekend.

Original edited in Lightroom before texture.

And the real original shot with the Lensbaby Double Optic with 2.8 and Macro Filter.

Now that the flowers are out I am getting some Lensbaby practice in. Stay tuned for poppies and larkspur!

Texture Tuesday 4-22

It's Texture Tuesday time and the theme is simple. I couldn't help but pick the first three daisies as they were opening yesterday. How much simpler can you get?
kk_isobel Softlight 100%, kk_violet Softlight 42%. And a curves adjustment in the blue channel. Font, Sweetly Broken. Shot with my Lensbaby Double Optic f/5.6 with the +4 macro. I usually like to shoot with the sweet spot off center but liked this one the best.

Here is one with the focus up to the left on the petals with just a few edits in Camera Raw. I definitely prefer the added texture and the color shift.

Come over and check out all the amazing texture at Kim's.

Texture Tuesday Tax Day

Perhaps I should have posted my 1040 Tax Extension and put a grungy texture over it? Maybe I should have sent it in that way too, no?
Yes, I woke up this morning and just realized I have to file an extension and send in some money. Where has my brain been. On vacation to the max, I guess. Maybe this post will go up later today because I'm also booked heavy at work. 4 cut & colors plus 3 haircuts.
This is my version of perfectly imperfect for Texture Tuesday. It's definitely from the archives, but the rest are all new shots with my Lensbaby.

kk_clarity Colorburn 100%, kk_postale Overlay 60%

kk_0603 Overlay 21% and Color Burn 100%,

Texture Tuesday Feb 24

One of my favorite red photos this month that I've been saving for a texture. 

Shot with my Lens Baby, which I'm still not comfortable with.

This is my first try on some funky word art. I love Rhonna Designs for iPhone and iPad editing. She has tons of word art that inspired this. And you can get stuff for use on the computer HERE.

Joining Kim today for Texture Tuesday. kk_simple, color burn 53%, kk_simple, divide 64%

Texture Tuesday Love Edition

Love is….
dead weeds around here at this moment. Shot with Lens Baby. Textures used, kk_1216 and some emulsions from 2 lil Owls.
Linking up with Kim for Texture Tuesday.

My latest project is a new red digital scrapbook kit called Organic Red. It should be in the shop this weekend. Here's a sneak peak of a few parts.

Texture Tuesday Jan 28th

Not sure if Kim will be up and running yet as she's just moved back home. So happy for her…. Texture Tuesday
But here is a photo of Miss Hallie with a touch of texture and a few others from the week.

kk_cora from the Downton Abby Collection.

The original taken with my 50mm.

50mm

I actually managed to get a couple with the Lens Baby last week.

Unfortunately her lashes were a bit blurry in this one.

I haven't decided if I like that Lens Baby or not. You have to manually focus and I hate doing that! (My eye-sight just isn't that great apparently. I end up bracketing 4 shots hoping one turns out. Of course that doesn't work on a moving target. When the evening light is good most of my dead garden plants aren't in it. At least not the cool ones. I have a few I like that I'll post later. They are not all sharp but I like the artsy-ness of them.

Lens Baby Magic

I've completed homework for the first week of Lensbaby Magic given at PPSOP by Kathleen Clemmons. Her stuff is sooooooo dreamy. Someday I'll be that good or at least I aspire to that. The first three I uploaded for critique. The rest are some I liked but knew were probably not as good. Perhaps you'll disagree. I'm always curious to know what every's opinion is.

Taking into consideration the fact that we could not crop our photos…. was the reason a few of these didn't make the cut.