I created this layout for my mom's calendar for 2009. The waterlily photo is mine. I used a bracket designed by TempusFugit (Seashore Splendor) http://www.tempusfugit.blogspot.com
The background paper is a PHOTO of the same pond where I took the waterlily photo! I laid it over a green background made with color fill and texture in Paint Shop Pro, just in case you might see through when I used the visibility toggle on the photo. (I was trying to mask the background a little!

The Clark family may recognize this lily - they've seen it before!

Another layout done at Heart of Texas Scrapbook Club Retreat

I also did this layout with Joni Gray's Sunset kit over the past weekend . The photo is one of my favorites taken during our vacation in May!

I'm on a roll now ...

I've been inspired - or I just woke up to the fact that all these presents I have planned will not design themselves! Here is a Yellow Rose layout for the calendar I am making for my mom.

CREDITS:

paper - digimom designs (DSO Aug 08)

paper - Helly (Apologize)

(these two papers were color adjusted slightly and merged!)

frame - Joni Gray (DSO Sept 09) - I also used the frame to create the flourishes I added at the top and bottom.

butterflies - Joni Gray (Sunset)

Scrapbook Art Show!

I just returned from the 10th annual FALL retreat sponsored by Heart of Texas Scrapbook Club. We hosted our very first DIGITAL category for the Scrapbook Arts Show - and I'm proud to say I received First Place for my entry entitled "Secret Gardens" - the flower pictures are from my amazing trip in May to Ocracoke Island, NC. Few of the homes on the island are for permanent residents - the population of the island is about 700 - but those homes all have little "pockets" of flowers, and they were in FULL BLOOM everywhere. Featured in this layout are a beautiful CLEMATIS (purple), an amazing IRIS (burgundy) and just a tiny view of the massive AZALEAS (hot pink).

CREDITS

I was lucky enough to find all the elements I needed in DSO's Color Challenge August 2008

perfect papers (barbislost and found.blogspot.com; kimb's designs, The Teapot lady)

flower charms (Andrea Witt)

bows (digimom designs)

Check back again soon ...

I'm actually heading out to visit my friend Pam whose garden is usually beautiful and full of butterflies this time of year. It will be great to be behind my camera again - I haven't taken ANY pictures since July 4 (and those are really BAD!)

I've been BUSY

I can't believe I haven't been here in FOREVER it seems! I spent the last half of July and most of August, spending most of my days with Mom. But she is back on the way to FULL recovery, and I am now playing CATCH-UP at home.

I just added a photo from 2007 to the Clark Family Photo Gallery for September, so I will post the same one here. It is one of my favorite butterfly pictures - although, truthfully it is a MOTH! We were visiting a butterfly house in the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY in May 2007 and "caught" this beauty about 10 minutes into this cycle of his life! The wingspan on this critter was about 7 inches of gorgeous ...

Thanks for continuing to visit ...

I can't believe that a month has gone by since I last posted here - I have been extremely "busy" just sitting around. My mom had hip replacement surgery on July 15, and my time is consumed with being with her, and helping in her recovery. I haven't taken many pictures, and have edited almost none of them!

Mike's family is having a "photo contest" - pix of food, so I searched back to find something to show:

My first post - This is NOT a flower. Can you guess what it is?

The family guessed - a few reported they were skeptical of others answers, and it really IS a

carved watermelon on the "Midnight Buffet" of the cruise I took in 2004! The layout of the food was amazing and the photo ... color is good, placement alright, looks appetizing! Makes me hungry for watermelon. (I have some in the refrigerator, compliments of my neighbors Karen and George, we always share!)