GIMPshop fun and games!

I was looking at some great photos on the All About Even blog today, admiring the wonderful photographs and especially Emine's gorgeous "blown out" highlights in her pic that she's done for her Escape challenge layout. I heard the term "blown out" on a photography website which is a way of describing a photo that's really light and the highlights are all white. I actually really like those kind of pics and try to get that washed out kind of light in my pics now and then but I'm not a great photographer and thus not very often successful!!! lol I did however decide to read up on it today and find out how to begin playing with the things like levels and curves and colourisation in Photoshop. I actually run a program called GIMPshop which is a free version of software that does everything Photoshop will do but it has different names for stuff. It also comes with a Photoshop "plug in" which basically means that if you are more familiar with Photoshop then it will use the same names for stuff so you know where everything is. If you Google GIMPshop then you'll find a link to download the software for free and it's basically very easy once you begin.

I had the top coloured photograph of Caeligh that I took a few (warmer) months ago while she played in a plastic tub in the backyard with about an inch of water in it. Amazing how wet she got for so little water but kids to make a meal fo things don't they!!! My camera totally blew up deluxe in the midday sun and I couldn't get a good shot no matter where I stood so the coloured one above is what I ended up with. It's not all bad - it's actually a very accurate representation of my darling daughter - red glowing evil eyes and all!!!! lol If you've met her or heard of her escapades then you'll get it!!!! lol The photograph below it - the black and white one - is after having a red hot go at it with GIMPshop. I opened the pic, went into Image, then Adjustments and then Levels. Look at the bottom of the graph thing - there are three arrows pointing up, a black one, a grey/brown looking one and a white one. Drag the white arrow to the left. It should be at the far right. As you drag it lightens the highlights, giving a "blown out" look. But that isn't all folks!!! lol Lighten it as much as you need to so it looks likea "normal" pic and then open Image, Adjustments and then Curves. It gives you a graph thingy with a line diagonally across it. You can use your mouse to click on a point on that graph line and drag it around and as you do it changes the photograph. I got the best results from dragging the line straight up but you'll get the idea once you have a play around. Then to get the above photograph in that really rich black and white I chose Image, Adjustments and then Colorize. It then gives you three sliders so you can muck around with those and change it to any colour tint you want including black and white and sepia as well. It was really easy once I started and I made sure any changes I made did a Save As on or a Save A Copy so that I kept the original. Mostly the originals weren't scrapable quality anyway but you never know when you'll need it to change something else so always be sure to keep the originals!!

So there ya go - a quick photo altering lesson this evening!!!! This evening when I should be typing as the doctors I was working for full time a couple of weeks ago appear to be missing a typist at the moment so I'm doing lots of "emergency" work to catch up which has thankfully (here's the bit where I can see that God moves in seriously mysterious ways......) led to exactly what I wanted - a guaranteed full day of contract work plus overflow typing which fits in nicely around my work at Cyberscraps!! Almost too perfect but I'll take it!

So if you have a computer, and obviously an internet connection if you're reading this, then be brave and jump on in and have a go at some photo alteration. It can really take your scrapping to the next level and I know I've often looked at a layout and been instantly drawn by the amazing photography which just makes the whole page look a million times better. Like I said, I started out this afternoon not knowing how to do anything but there are so many tutorials and so much info available on the net that there's no excuse for not having a try if you're interested. I'm so thrilled with the results from the above pics that I know I'm doing to be doing lots of mucking around with the rest of my photos.

Watch this space for the above B&W pic making an appearance in a layout really REALLY soon!!!

Sorry but I still haven't gotten around to getting up any pics from the races - I did go to Harvey today to get some printed out for a big double layout (mobile phone prints which do 4, 6 or 8 shots to a standard 6x4 photograph which you then chop up into little pics) but there was a ridiculous special on 15 cent 6x4s which means that the poor guy at the Harvey Norman at Browns Plains here in Brisbane (his name is Randall and he is THE BEST photo guy ever - totally helpful and nothing is ever too much trouble - rare breed indeed that man!!!!) well he's right up to his proverbials in 6x4 pics and there is a three day delay on getting anything at all printed out but I won't go anywhere else! So I'll print out this one of Caeligh at home and just put up with it because I really want to scrap it when I go into the shop tomorrow.

Oh BY THE WAY THE KLIC & KUT ARRIVED TODAY!!!!!!! I am fair wetting myself with excitement at being able to have a play with it tomorrow!!!! I'll post back with hopefully a completed layout tomorrow so you can see how it does things like titles with cardstock, patterned paper and even chipboard sheets. So if you're around on Friday come on in for our crop day and go wild with our Klic & Kut - the $10 crop day price includes use of the Klic & Kut plus use of all of our punches, foam stamps, Fancy Pants acrylic stamps and even morning tea!!! Give me a ring tomorrow at the shop on 07 3274 5522 if you want to come and play with us!

AMENDMENT ON THE CYBERSCRAPS SALE - sorry but I got the day wrong before about our very HUGE 30% off sale - it actually begins this Saturday - bright and early at 10am and it runs for two whole weeks (while stocks last that is!). Every single thing in the store (apart from our already rock bottom cheap Bazzill) is 30% off - great stuff like the brand new Basic Grey Infuse range, Marah Johnson's Lovestruck, Bliss, Intentions and all the fab embellies and accessories that go with them, albums, tools, adhesives, it's all on sale from Saturday 28 July for two whole weeks. And YES! For those of you who don't live local the sale will be online as well so jump on the net and grab a serious bargain or two, or more!!!!! We've been doing so much ordering at CHA and we've got eyes right on the scene to do the ordering for us so we'll have the coolest new stuff ASAP! Come and buy up on what you want and need and help us make room for all the delicious new stuff that's coming! If you've got time then let me know and I'll even put the kettle on for you so you can have a cuppa while you browse, see our new Klic & Kut in action or take some time out to flick through our ideas books for some inspiration. Look forward to seeing you there!!!!

A big hi to Kat who came in on Monday with her lovely friend and spent some time with Cass and I. It's the coolest thing ever to meet up with fellow scrappers and bloggers in real life and we love people to come in and have a natter and a coffee while they shop around. Thanks for visiting girls - and make sure you post on your blog what you've done with all the fab stuff you bought!!!!

I keep meaning to do this more regularly but I sometimes remember stuff I am thankful for and it's a good habit to get into, recognising that my life is overflowing with good stuff and the day to day crap is just that, gone in a day most of the time! So today I'm thankful for:

(1) More work coming in, even if it's a bit crazy right now while things get sorted out

(2) Cheap and cheerful scrap supplies I picked up today - big buttons, felt, shiny ric-rac

(3) Doug for making a lovely dinner for me while I work into the wee hours

(4) Getting Doug's tax return back so we have a little bit of a buffer for how ever long that lasts!

(5) Finding a new pair of sunnies as my favourite ones were getting really scratched up - and even better - finding them at Best & Less for $1!!!!! That's right!!! Just one buck!!! They were reduced as old stock from last summer before this summer's stuff arrives and they are almost exactly like the ones I have and love now so what a bargain for me!

(6) Finding out that my camera really only needs a good going over with compressed air as there's some grit trapped in the lens mechanism after the dust and dirt of the V8's on Saturday and that's why it stopped working - and I'm doubly thankful that I still have two months to go on my rental agreement if it turns out to have any problems after we clean it

(7) Accepting myself for who I really am and not taking myself so seriously that I can't use the fun/weird/wacky/odd pictures I have of myself on my layouts - I'm sure it's those strange photos that my kids will look back on one day and say "Yep that was Mum - fun/weird/wacky/ odd!!!!" and have a good laugh about them.

Okay I'm going now because time is money and I'm wasting both sitting here yakking instead of "proper" work typing. Have a wonderful Wednesday (if you can that is!) and hopefully I'll be able to show you some Klic & Kut magic on a layout by this time tomorrow.

Thank you for visiting my little corner of the blogsphere - I know I owe some of you a visit (Sue, Alana, Lusi, Ali, Jasmine, the list goes on!!!!) and I promise I'm going to get there this week!

Much love and blown out highlights, Lu