Country Memories

This is a close-up of the May kit of the month called 'Country Memories'. 

It will be ideal with photos from Dullstroom to Darling, Clarens to Cullinan or Parys to Paternoster! Part of the technique this month is to make you own chalk board. 

It is easy! Paint some Balsar wood with blackboard paint,

sand the edges and write on the board with blackboard chalk. 

String up with jute string and embellish with autumn leaves, 

filmstrips and metal bits and pieces.

Enjoy!

Muffin tins

No I don't bake that much in my muffin tin! 

What I do use it for is sorting when I have lots of bits and pieces.

Sorting of letters when making wedding invitations

Sorting of embellishments when packing kits.

Three x three

In March I sent out a challenge to make a double page using 3 photos, 3 patterned papers, 3 embellishments and a 3 word title. Well done Michelle and Reinette for handing in the challenge!

Michelle Azzie

Reinette de Villiers

¼ of the way through 2013

My March page is done and I am ¼ of the way through the album!

I am using the same colour scheme throughout the album. This way there are no decisions to be made and it makes completing the page so much quicker.

I am sticking to the same embellishments as well. I am using a range of different product lines...Washi tape in three colours, a set of acrylic embellishments by Heidi Swapp, Pink Paislee black and white chipboard hearts, stars, arrows and buttons, 7 Gypsies label stickers and some flowers and brads from my stash.

Taking Photos of Pages

Because we don’t have professional studios to take photos of pages it can be difficult.                         

So this is what I do…

• Take photos outside in bright, natural light conditions so that you do not need to use a flash because the flash reflects on the photos.
• You must have a roof covering the areas where you are working otherwise the clouds are reflected on the photos, so a covered patio or balcony would be a good spot.
•  Lay the page on the ground and stand directly over the page with legs spread apart and on either side of the page.
• When you look through the view finder try to get the bottom of the page parallel with the bottom of the view finder. See photo b.
• Check also that the sides are square and parallel with the sides of the viewfinder. If the background forms a triangle then you are not directly above the page. See photo c.
• Take at least two shots of every page.
• I also find it is usually necessary to correct the colour in Photoshop as well. See photo a. and then b.
• Crop out the extra background. See photo d.
• Gold and silver never come out the correct colour – they usually look black/grey.
• Hope this helps you with your next photographic project.

  

a. Colour not enhanced and the photo is a bit crooked in the viewfinder, that means you are not standing dead center.

b. Sides and bottom are square and parallel with the view finder. Colour has been enhanced.

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c. Sides are not parallel to the view finder, but the colour has been enhanced. See the triangles of background on either side.

   

d. Photo has been cropped removing all the distracting background

Boho Chic wedding

Rosemary Hill

Shane and Sonja 6 March 2013

Shoot during the "Golden Hour" to take advantage of the wonderful lighting.

This photo has background lights that are dreamy and blurred. This blurry background effect is called BOKEH. (It’s a Japanese word.) Set you camera to the smallest F/stop of 5.6. This will allow the foreground to be in focus and the background out of focus. Keep the ISO setting as low as possible so that the photo does not become grainy. Then take a shot!

February Page done

My annual album is growing and I am keeping up to date! Remember to sand the edges of the photos because there is no matting.

Group the embellishments rather than scatter them all over the page. Have the largest element in the centre with the smaller elements radiating out from it.