Weekly Photo Challenge: Signs

 

Although this is a work in progress that I started several years ago (I’d like all the letters to be the same size and perfectly spaced, but what an OCD nightmare that is) I am posting this for my Weekly Photo Challenge: Signs. For 2 reasons: It is un-perfect like me, and I love it. You don’t have to be perfect to enjoy life, and I am sharing this with you right now, in all it’s un-perfectness. I also will freely say, that I took the letters from various signs in images all over the internet. So not only did I not make the neon letters I didn’t take the photos either. But I did copy, paste, and crop to my hearts content. Hopefully I am not stepping on anyone’s copyright toes, forgive me if I am. I do own the butterfly which in real life is big (3′ x 2.5′ or so). I had it made for me, the artist is my friend Phil Radke, of PR SIgns and Service, sign guy, extraordinaire.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Kiss

And now, to catch up in Weekly Challenge Land, “The Kiss” challenge! Along with the myriad of other “challenges” that have been occurring lately has been the situation with my new computer. You may recall my “old” computer was so ridiculously slow it made me very unhappy at times. So: Yea! I bought a new one. Boo! F^(&!#g Photoshop DOES NOT WORK on the new fangled imac. Nor does it even have a spot to insert discs. Seriously. Also, good information to know (ahead of time). Someday I might be wise enough to look before I leap. Some people think it is charming, this “devil-may-care” attitude/personality disorder that I have. ;-* BUT, in the spirit of all things good, this has inspired me to *gasp* abandon said Photoshop and try new things. I am now armed with a totally free and extremely cool program called Gimp. I used Gimp to make the above image today. I studied a youtube video by a very talented guy named Chris Fiedler and used some of his direction to create this “watercolor” photo above. I am also trying Pixelmator (made by Apple). Gimp is more like Photoshop (except it is FREE! ha ha ha ha ha). I also have Aperture and Colorstrokes. It is hard to get used to different programs. Everything is done in a different way. But like anything, trying new things can have significant benefits. It is either that, or try tech support for who knows how long, possibly spend $1000 (yes, that is what the new Photoshop costs) and still have problems. From what I have read, there are a lot of severe incompatibility problems (even though they say not) with all versions of Photoshop and the new Mountain Leopard, Mountain Lion, whatever, format. Why are all their systems named after big cats? Who can remember which. Why can’t they just use the number? They have one, but that is not what is used. Silly. “How old are you?” “Oh, I am Tyrannosaurus Rex.” “Ah, I see. Ok. Whatever that means.” Can you imagine? Funny. (Or, perhaps, I am just showing my real age, I sound like my Dad used to).  Live and Learn, right? At least I am doing both.

And another: I had to add Angelo and Juni. Gotta be fair. I like it, but I think the first one lends itself better to the beauty of the “watercolor”.

Weekly Challenge: Everyday Life

Here is Juni, looking all cute and innocent. Ugh, puppies. What was I thinking? So my version of this weeks challenge (Everyday Life) is a 2 parter. Juni, looking down on me is part one. I like it because it is clean and simple and funny, and in my opinion my kind of photo. Metaphorically speaking, it represents my everyday life of how my too many damn pets have me at their mercy. I am their slave. Most people would not put up with their crap. But, alas, I love them and will do my best to give them a good life. Part 2 (below) is the rest of my kitchen from the sofa (where Juni is laying and not supposed to be) and beyond, my hub, our life center, which is hard for me too keep clean. I decided to make this photo of the kitchen hub/total cluster as artistic as possible, so I used the Photoshop stained glass filter. Now it looks kind of like a cool funky abstract, and does not let the world know how much I abhor housekeeping, as well as being at its mercy as well!!!  😉 Ahhh… everyday life!

That’s a Peach, Hon (Homage to Caddyshack & Wayne Thiebaud)

Oooh, a double homage! A fine juxtaposition of highbrow and lowbrow! I can’t look at a peach without thinking of the line in Caddyshack, “That’s a peach, Hon.” (I have seen that movie many, many, times. Caddyshack and Young Frankenstein have the best one liners if you ask me.) I got this huge beautiful peach from friends the other night, and it just begged to have its portrait done. And then, I love Wayne Thiebaud, so I played with the photo on Photoshop this morning, to emulate my favorite aspects of his paintings. I like it. I will have to eat this peach today, but it will live on for eternity in digital-land.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Merge

Palm Tree (with added vision) at the Franklin Park Conservatory. Even without the eyes I photoshopped onto the tree, each little spot where the leaves fall off look like eyes with eyelashes. This tree now has 4 different eyes it can see with.  That would be startling if it really happened!