July challenges at Mscraps

There is ten new challenges at Mscraps for this month. I am hosting the Template Challenge, with a new template - Tucked In Tight 1. Yes, you guessed right, it's the first one in a series, so stay tuned for the rest!!

and my page - Miss Attitude

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The template is HERE for grab, I hope you'll enjoy it and let me know how you used it! 

(my Term Of Use)

Head over the challenge thread to check out what other CT girls cooked up with the template and to see other challenges and games!!!

Layouts from the last week

I'm late with my pages, both made with Making Up by Heather T., released last Friday at Mscraps.

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Water in Yuba River

Rivers in Sierra Nevada (mountain range close to us) are truly a sight, right now. There are even roads covered by the snow and many lakes, normally busy by this time, are still inaccessible. We drove towards Bowman Lake but we were forced to turn back due to snow - and a car stuck in the snow, in one case. 

Nevertheless, Yuba is gorgeous (it's pretty any time of the year, anyway), demanding respect for its menacing, rushing power.

More photos HERE.

 

Tijuana Sunrise

Sounds really exotic, doesn't it? It's the new collaboration kit by Joyce Paul and SophieLovesDesign.
A beauty, wouldn't you say?

and here I used a photo of an iguana

(from around Puerto Vallarta n Mexico)

iguanas seem to have siesta whole day, I dare say

credits: Tijuana Sunrise by Joyce Paul and SophieLovesDesign

Out Of Line: Bits

Photomasks are one of my favorite tools, I use them in many ways. Definitely worth trying are  Out Of Line: Bits by Heather T., released today at Mscraps (20% off till Sunday):

and here is one example of how to use them:

my page The Look

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I added various shadows to hearts (photomask from the kit above) so they look like hovering in different heights.

If you like it, here is a template I made from it, it's basically a PSD file with arranged circles with various shadows. Enjoy!

Download HERE.

(my TOU)

Vintage Garden - freebie

To celebrate my recent recognition at GalleryStandouts.com I want to share my latest Lightroom freebie with you!!

for personal use (you might want to check my TOU)

It would make me very happy if you shared with me how you used it! :-)

Download HERE. Enjoy!!

Challenges and GSO

I didn't even share that one of my layouts was finger-pointed at Gallerystandouts.com yet and I got another one!! Both were made for June challenges at Mscraps.

The first one, the Typography Challenge - Messing Up Your Type:

Smoke Signals 101 - June 7th

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And a week later, my page for the Journaling Challenge - about something that went on forever:

Rain - will it stop? - June 14th

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I love when our challenges make me do such pages! And I don't think I'm that silly if it makes me so happy. Plus, Mscraps get some recognition too (giggle)!

University Falls

Yes, we finally made it! This was our third attempt to reach the falls.

The first one - miles and miles wondering in the woods and missing the right trail - which is not marked.

The second - two miles before the place we park our car, there was a fatal accident and road was closed for hours, we took an alternate road. 

And finally, we dragged some friends with us and this brought us luck :-)

Popular "swimming hole", a beautiful cascade, some parts not easily accessible, definitely worth it.

Nice 8 miles trip.

More Photos HERE.

Red, White And Blue

I wanted to share with you two layouts from Heather's new kit Red, White And Blue.
I think the elements she made, using her own papers, then cut in her die-cut machine, assembled and scanned again, are exquisite, something very unique, love them!!

Here is the pretty tricolor kit:

and my layouts:

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On this page (above), I used a photo from Virginia City. It is a picturesque town in Nevada, not too far from Lake Tahoe. Its main street looks about the same as it did in 1860 - saloons, little shops, the place where Mark Twain started writing... 

 it's extremely popular among Harley Davidson bikers - the nice kind - and it is some sight: the main street lined with about a hundred of bikes, like during Street Vibrations (bikers event in Reno, NV) or on the 4th of July- and yes, DH has a HD but he is not a typical HD biker - he's skinny, no beard, short hair and only rides in good weather :-))

 (photos from Virginia City HERE.

skiing in Obertauern, Austria

 

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Golden Gate Bridge

I drove over Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco numerous times but never actually walked on it. Maybe, I was discouraged by the look at wind stricken people, wrapping themselves in coats and scarfs. I did too!
I loved using fisheye lens, it gives very interesting results for shots with architectonic details.
Another fascinating thing - hungry seagulls around the fishing boat, waiting for scraps of seafood, or maybe even stealing some!! lol

More photos HERE.

 

Lake Clementine

Rains and snowmelt altogether means a lot of water in rivers, dams and lakes around us. Right by city of Auburn, you can see beautiful cascades from spillways on the Lake Clementine. The debris along the upper edge of the dam and on the rocks bellow suggest that the water was much higher, probably just recently. Must have been a sight, the water spilling over the whole lenght of the dam!

More photos from the trip HERE (bigger photos).

I am only me

I found this beautiful poem by Ruth Bourdon on internet, it must have been written about me:

I am only me, that is all that I can be

No more, no less, don’t second guess

I love, I laugh, I live and cry,

I’ve wished at times, that I could die

Some days I’m funny, others I’m not,

sometimes I’m in overdrive and can’t stop

I am a loyal and honest friend,

You know that I’ll be there until the end

I am a mother, my children my greatest gift,

The smiles on their faces always give me a lift

I am a romantic, sensual, and passionate too,

to the love of my life, I’ll share this with you

I can be sweet and shy or sassy and bold,

I’m quite a handful, or so I’ve been told

I am not perfect, I do have my faults,

like when I get scared I put up high walls

Or I’m not as forgiving, as I’d sometimes like to be,

because when I hurt, I hurt deeply

My logic is all my own, at times misunderstood,

because I don’t always do things for my own good

I have many facets, like a diamond you see…

I am only me.

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I used Poppy kit and Silver Chain action from Photoshop Actions 3 by Joyce Paul (lots of actions at Mscraps!!)

Goofing around

I bet you have at least one of those at home. The little things that make funny faces or act silly.
I have two. Still acting goofy, sometimes.
And I made a page about my family having fun: the kiddies riding a broom Dad was holding for them.

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Made with the kit Not Too Serious by Heather T., coming tomorrow (Friday) to Mscraps.

More Droplets

And more rain. In June? 

Ironically, we were asked by the water company to reduce water consumption because some supply channel colapsed. Well, at least, I don't have to irrigate the garden.

 

New Monthly Challenges

I'm hosting the Theme Challenge at Mscraps - Scrap About Your Childhood.
Come to see and play here.

A page I made for the challenge, what I was like when I was little.

Queen Of The Mischief

made with You Are My Sunshine

(Dunia + Studio Basic)

New collaboration kit at Mscraps

A boy only mega kit is packed with lots of masculine elements - perfect for Father's Day!

The Things You Do

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It's a lift of a page by Krizomel, for Featured Scrapper at Mscraps