Mobile Art Monday No.26

It time for the peaches!

(VSCOcam)

Since the past two years' crops were lost to late freezes, I was chopping at the bit to get back to the peach orchard.

They provide the cart and boxes. I went armed with baskets, tea towels, bottled water and 2 cameras.

(Picfx)

(Picfx)

(VSCOcam)

I chose a nice loose cool linen shirt that proved to be great for gathering. (Silly me, I should have been using my baskets.)

(Stackables)

I think these gals will be quite busy with all they collected.

(Hipstamatic, Dream Canvas film and Bettie XL lens.)

(Stackables)

I had so many distractions that morning that I ended up out there at noon with the temps in the upper 80's and humidity to match.

Twenty nine pounds and $58 dollars later I had pretty much decided I would not come back again this year. But a different variety will be ready in two weeks and I may have to get just a few to see if I prefer the later crop.

I spent 3+ hours peeling and chopping, bagging and freezing. A peach and basil smoothie was the first to be consumed. Next priority is Peach Crisp or pie.

Have a great Mobile Art Monday!

Mobile Art Monday No. 20

It's selfie time again. The nice thing about these kind of shots I don't have to worry about what my hair looks like. (like maybe I didn't wash it that day)

A few original shots of "Daisies in a Bucket." The dog was cruising in the background...

It took a lot of tries to get myself lined up just right. I kept cutting off the top of the daisies.

Some edits in Stackables. 

Some edits with VSCOcam.

I hope you've enjoyed an extra day off this weekend!

Mobile Art Monday No 19

I almost always shoot a few still life shots with my phone while doing some serious and nonserious still life set ups. In fact some days I get real carried away and start shooting with Hipstamatic too and some time I get on a roll with the phone and get so side tracked I forget to pick the camera back up. This was one of those days....

I used VSCOcam app to edit several of these on my iPad. I made an amazing discovery too (It was actually a 'duh' moment.) So I'll share in case you didn't know either.

I've always just clicked through the presets until I found one I liked, then I got curious and clicked this icon in the lower left corner.

When you do, this window pops up. Now why didn't I know that before? Perhaps it was in the last update. That will be my excuse.... Scroll to see your photo previewed and pick the one you want. click the same icon to take you back. Don't click the one in the lower right, that undoes your edit.

VSCOcam has an great tutorial (although its a couple years old) explaining the incredible features of this app. It has some great ‘matte finish’ filters and portrait filters. Among it’s editing tools are three that are rarely included in most apps. The infamous fade which is very popular right now, the ability to lighten shadows and restore highlights.  It comes with some freebies to get you started but also has in-app purchases. It has free presets in the store that you can download. One new trick I learned in the above tutorial is that I can rearrange my presets so my favorites ones are at the front of the list. Even the tool kit can be re-arranged. (Thumbs up!)

VSCOcam reminds me a lot of Kim Klassen's Lightroom presets. Now my iPhone photos can look like I did them in Lightroom. 

Preset T1

Preset T1

Preset T1

Preset T1 

A pleasant surprise shot that caught my eye as I was 'cleaning up'.

Preset T1 This is a favorite and I decided I wanted all these to look similar with the next being an exception.

Preset T2

Now for a few Hipstamatic shots.

My all time favorite for dark pink or red flowers. Jane lens and BlancoC16 film.

My favorite black and white sharp combo is Jane lens and BlackKeys Extra fine. It doesn't work good on very dark pink or red. These were just light enough.

And you can't skip Dream canvas and BettieXL when it comes to pink peonies.

And a Hipsta version on a variation of my first shot using Jane and BlancoC16.

Here's to a great start to your week!

Friday Finds December 19

It's Friday Finds again! This week my best ever find was a bundle of greens at the florist.

I've said for years, "This year I will make something with real greens." (It almost didn't happen this time either as I saw them sitting in water on the patio for days while I kept forgetting to get a few things I needed for the job.)

I found this photo in Martha Stewart's magazine this month and thought, 'hmmmm, I should try that'.

 The vase I used for my fall branches would get another work out. Late last night I started putting it together.

As I stood this morning admiring it, the smell just took me to heaven! I wanted to stay home from work and just inhale!

I decided it was too flat on top and I need bigger ornaments and more red ones. (Another thing to add to my ever growing list. Cross one off, add two.)

So I'll be redoing it tonight and try to decide if I want to add the 'snow' or not. (I'll show the finished product later.)

I only had time for some iPhone shots this morning, edited in VSCOcam.

Yes, I realize it's a bit late for getting the decorating done, but you've got to live with what life dishes out. Has your life been thrown any curves during this holiday season?

Come on over to Kim's blog today and see what kind of great goodies everyone has found/discovered this week...

iPhone Composite 1

I love composites. They can be quirky and strange or they can be dreamy and beautiful.
This week's does not fit in the beautiful category. But it was such fun to do.
I was a lucky recipient of a free code for the new Union App so I just had to try it out. Thanks Geri Centonze of Art of Mob!

You can layer just two layers at a time and do a double exposure by changing the blend mode or you can flatten the two layers and keep adding another. It also lets you add a color layer to blend which came in handy.

This was my final. But I'll show how I got there.

These are the first two photos I used.

The blend mode was changed to multiply 24% and the contrast was increased to darken the foreground  and the layers merged.

Next I added this and scaled it larger. 

I used Difference blend mode. It left the foreground looking normal. So I merged and added a color  gradient filter, changed the blending mode and it colored up the foreground.

Next I added this old church that was missing it's steeple.

I added it as a foreground image and masked away all but the building. I played with the blend mode, screen 50%, size and position until I was happy.

Since Union was made by the same people that made Tangent I figured I'd go play with it there and this is what I settled on.

But now I'm thinking I would like to see it monochromatic. I took the un-Tangented version into VSCOcam and used one of their black and white presets. (Also used TouchRetouch to take out the white window.)

 Then three layers of grit and emulsion from Mextures to get the final image up top.

Linking up with Barb at Keeping With The Times for App Happy Wednesday!

Friday Finds August 8, the Shopping Edition

Just got back from the Big 'D' and I made a small haul. When you fly, size is taken into consideration. Hubby thinks weight should be considered too and of course he's right but that is his department. I had carefully made a list of all the places I wanted to go…Dallas Arboretum, Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, Apple, Home Goods(wasted my time there), Teavana, Bread Winners, and of course Cheese Cake Factory. After checking Google Maps I added Dallas Farmer's Market to my list but I never did make it downtown.
The first morning was spent at the arboretum because it was only going to get hotter the next couple days. After lunch it was on to the Highland Park area to Pottery Barn. A priority. I needed a total of 5 plates and 3 more bowls of specific colors to round out my set I'd purchased late last year. First, I'm distracted by the Apple Store's windows.

Then I see Crate and Barrel across the street! Oh, what a cool place! I'll bet I was there an hour devouring all the goodness. As I'm checking out, Hubby texts to say his class will be finished early, meaning I should head that way in a few short minutes to make the 50 minute drive back to Terrell to pick him up. Darn, my main stop at this destination was Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel sidetracked me.  So I hurriedly gathered up my dishes(with no help) and didn't even cruise the rest of the store.
But let's get back to Crate and Barrel. I'm not sure I've ever been in one, because I thought I was in heaven. I found the most gorgeous cutting/cheese board and carried it around for awhile until I found out it was $35. I looked at it a bit more, decided I would make my own and make it shorter because it was too long anyway.

My second day of adventure was spent at the NorthPark Center mall. Such cool sculptures are scattered throughout. I finally got to eat at Bread Winners. When the waiter brought my food, my expression apparently reflected my gagging thoughts as I gazed upon the raw looking smoked salmon. It just wasn't what I was expecting. But I managed to get it down with a lot of herb spread. Those were the largest capers I'd ever seen.

Anthropologie…most of their stuff just does not impress me. A few things are to die for. One cup I resisted and a few I bought. A nice colorful sturdy cup, as opposed to a delicate one I had coveted for a long time, came home with me. As did a towel like Kim has used in her photos. The most impressive thing in the store to me was their check out counter. I loved it, yet was sad to see cool old furniture cut up and used this way.

Then I saw Free People. Very interesting. I often forget I'm not 25 anymore and these types of stores remind me. I think you need to be financially free to shop there and I'd like to know what person in there 20's can afford to.
I had been lusting all morning for Cheese Cake Factory cheese cake. I looked up their menu online just incase I wanted to eat Mexican food next door at the Blue Mesa Grill. When I saw they had my favorite ever salad there was no thinking twice. Beet and Goat cheese with pecans and balsamic dressing. Pure heaven!

I also had a roasted pear and blue cheese flat bread. But onto dessert! My favorite is the chocolate one with the coconut but decided to try the Kahlua cheesecake. Oh my, what can I say but it won't be my last. I did take the Banana Cream back to hubby and a chocolate coconut for me. (Yes, we've been doing no sugar since last December but sometimes you just have to splurge, like 2 pieces in one day)

I had more adventures on this trip but will save the good stuff for another post. Like antiquating and visiting cemeteries. I will say, that will be more interesting.

All photos take on iPhone5 and edited in VSCOcam (except the salmon bagels)

Come over to Kim's and check out Friday Finds.