tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64288905239578082832012-02-13T15:43:41.152-05:00Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.comBlogger4041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-60229508040561345602012-02-12T16:17:00.001-05:002012-02-12T16:17:33.416-05:00

  All the leaves are brownAll the leaves are brownAnd the sky is greyAnd the sky is greyI've been for a walkI've been for a walkOn a winters dayOn a winters dayId be safe and warmId be safe and warmIf I was in l.a.If I was in l.a.California dreaminCalifornia dreaminOn such a winters day Can you hear the music.    It wasn’t California but it was a beautiful sunny and snowy morning.   I was out

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  I got the heart cup out for tea and cookies while I read a few chapters of a book on my ereader.   I am joining Darcy at Lifewith3Boybarians for Week 6 of Project 52.  Have a wonderful day.  Valerie

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    My husband bought me a bouquet of flowers and they are just about finished.  I cut the best blooms off and put them in a little creamer.  I added a texture from Shadowhouse called square 41.  I wanted to bring out a little colour as the background was so white. I finished with Pioneer Woman’s vignette action called quick edge burn. I am joining Lisa Gordon for The Creative Exchange.   Have

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  I am concerned for the longevity of my plants after this unusual winter we have had.  As I was out walking in the Sandbox this morning I took the time to look at the various shrubs .  The Magnolia seemed to be fine but the Tree Peony right beside it had red growth showing from the buds.   The Serviceberry also showed opening buds and the Rosa Rugosa that grows in the front garden was also

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  Tomorrow is the last day of January already.   Thursday is Groundhog day.   If the weather keeps up this week at temperatures above 0 and rain he will not be seeing his shadow.   Is that 6 more weeks of winter?   I found these berries hanging on a bush the other day.  I’m not sure if they are highbush cranberries or not.   They seem to suit the texture today called”natures beauty” from Kim

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  My husband informed me that there were some ducks in the little stream that runs through a park just beside the Regional Offices in Newmarket.  I decided to investigate one day last week.   I found these few Mallards in the open waters below a bridge.  My identification book tells me the two with blue on them are molting. Such a pretty blue. Mondays I link up with Mary for Mosaic Monday a

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    I don’t like taking pictures of myself.   I spent over an hour  getting this one and then in post processing I needed Coffeeshop Rita and the action Perfectportrait 3 to get rid of a lot of wrinkles.   I am participating in Darcy’s Project 52 where each week we are to contribute a set photo. This week was self-portrait.   Next week is shadows.

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  If there are stories to be told this Brownie Hawkeye could tell us a few.  He has been here and there and seen a lot of things. If only he could talk. Kim Klassen gave us a prompt of “story” this week for Texture Tuesday.  I am also joining Lisa Gordon for The Creative Exchange.   Valerie

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  A button has been off my coat for a couple of weeks.   I finally thought I should sew it back on so I went off to the sewing caddy to get a needle and thread.   I opened up the box that held the spools of thread and lost track of the button.  I eventually did sew the button back on the coat but in the mean time I had some fun with photography. I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.    Have a

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    I am a bookworm.   If I am without something to read I am not happy.  Sometime I have two or three different books on the go at one time.   Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday challenge this week was “Open”.  When I get a word in my head I will begin to hear lyrics to a song with those words in them.  I had to search Google to find the this song that was rattling around in my head.   The textures

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-37590349781395738772012-01-15T14:10:00.000-05:002012-01-15T14:10:00.875-05:00

  My husband’s mother collected a set of china by Johnson Bros. called Old Britain Castles.   I remember the whole set being on display in her china cabinet in their home.  As my husband is an only child we inherited it.   The box of china sat in boxes in our basement for a few years before I took it out and displayed it on the hutch in our dining room that my husband made for me.  I guess I was

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  We haven’t had a lot of sun this week.   When I was doing my groceries I picked up a bouquet of Chrysanthemums to add some colour now that all the Christmas decorations were put away.   I then ended up playing with them in various ways using my nifty fifty or 50mm lens on a white board.   I have decided to join Darcy on Fridays for Project 52.  This week’s theme was made with love.    

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  I have been playing around with a little homemade lightbox that I made.   The instructions came from Rosie at Leavesnblooms Studio.  I just went around the house grabbing items to photograph.   The little pinecones were part of a Christmas display.   I added the texture called Abstract from Kim Klassen. I am joining Kim Klassen at Texture Tuesday and also Lisa Gordon at The Creative Exchange.

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  This weekend Hubby and I went along with a fellow who knew where to find the Bald Eagles on Lake Simcoe.  I had heard last year that there were some that had been seen up that way.  I really wanted to see one.   It was an off and on day weather wise with a little sun and then a little sleet and then sun again but was very windy by the lake.   We did see many ducks out in the open water such as

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  I was so impressed with myself for this photo and as I look at it now I can see a large boo boo.  It is a bulls eye shot and it does not hit any of the intersections of  the rule of thirds.  I just loved the colours in it and with the texture from French Kiss called purple prose I made me happy.    I am joining Lisa for the first 2012 edition of The Creative Exchange.   Valerie

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  Life in the Sandbox had some highs and lows this year.   We were excited last Christmas when our youngest became engaged to a lovely young lady and then tied the knot in a blissfully happy marriage in October of this year. She is easy to love and we do. The Sandbox was asked to be on a garden tour in the early summer and so there was a flurry of activity to get the gardens just ship shape

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  My goodness how time flies when you are having fun or does that happen the older you get.   We are saying goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012 tonight.    I do hope that you and your families have a very happy New Year and I look forward to seeing you again in the New Year with a sense of renewal and a promise of good things to come.   God Bless.  Valerie

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The skyline from our deck this morning at 7:30am shows a little pink in it.  Winter Solstice is when the Northern Hemisphere is at is maximum tilt away from the sun and occurs today December 22. It is the beginning of winter and also the shortest day.  The bright side is that from this day until summer solstice in June the days will increasingly longer.   I used Kim Klassen’s texture

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Just happened to be fooling around yesterday afternoon.  It sort of looked comical.  I am joining in the Twelve Days of Textures with Kim Klassen.  I used the texture “magic scratches”.         Valerie

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  I was sitting with my coffee this morning and reflecting back to when the boys were small and some of the great memories of Christmas’s past.  One in particular comes to mind to when our eldest was just a wee boy perhaps 2 years old or so we used to go to the early Children’s Mass at church.   The children were encouraged to sit up in the front pews just adjacent to the manger with Jesus, Mary

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  The big day is almost here now.   I have lots of things left to do so this week so I will have to put the blinders on and get it done.  I know it is probably the same at your house.  I am assuming that Mary will not hold a Mosaic Monday next week so I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas from our house to yours and thank you all for your friendship.   It

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Last Sunday afternoon I was playing around with my camera trying to get some bokeh.   I used mainly my 70mm macro lens at an f-stop of 1.8.   I remembered that I purchased an extended kit of disks for my lensbaby that had shapes in them and thought they might make some interesting bokeh.   This is the lensbaby composer lens and the disks. This is the various disks that came with the

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-70969530700183113022011-12-12T11:34:00.001-05:002011-12-12T11:34:52.289-05:00

  The Peach coloured Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) just bloomed.   I love the salmon pink in the petals with the bubble gum pink in the stigma and pearl like stamens.  I am joining Lisa for The Creative Exchange.   Have a great day.  Valerie

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Bokeh is the blurry unfocused shapes that appear in the background of a photo when you use a lens with a wide aperture like a 50 mm or macro lens that can stop down to 1.8 or so.   Christmas time is an excellent opportunity to play with this technique as most of us have holidays lights as a part of our indoor décor.    The Christmas tree was my light source yesterday afternoon as I played

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Some years ago my Mom gave me some ornaments that she said were the first ones that adorned their tree when Mom and Dad were first married.  That makes them just a little older than me and I’m as old as dirt.   They are not in very good shape but I just cannot toss them out yet.   For Kim Klassen’s challenge for Texture Tuesday this week we were to think “Celebrate”.   I have lost two friends in

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  The weather here is unpredictable.   One morning there is a layer of frost on everything and the next is mild and rainy.  Today is gloomy and rainy.  I am supposed to be finishing up the Christmas tree but I keep wandering away from it.   I used another of Coffee Shop Rita’s templates for my mosaic today.   I am joining our host Mary for Mosaic Monday.   Hope you are getting your holiday

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Spiral, a photo by In A Sandbox on Flickr.

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  A few suggestions from the Sandbox   I love a book and I have been collecting a few photography books over the last couple of years.   This is my collection of camera books that I have bookmarked and highlighted with coloured pens and even christened with coffee or jam to show you that I have my head buried in them over my lunch or breakfast.   Everyone of them gives me inspiration and very

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  In this part of the world we take for granted the ability to go into our favourite supermarket or green grocer and pick out the juiciest and freshest fruits and vegetables.  This juicy Golden Delicious is one of my favourites in the fall as it is so crisp and has that just tart taste that wakes up my taste buds.  I give gratitude to the farmer who grew this thing of beauty.  What do you give

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I had a hard time deciding what to photograph this week.  I seem to be in a slump for something fresh and new.   I remembered that a few weeks ago I had walked around the Sandbox looking for shapes for a photography class.  The lesson that week was being aware of shapes, lines, textures.   These are a few of the photos I took for that lesson.  There is the circle as in the birdhouse; a sphere

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    As I was washing up some dishes yesterday my eye kept coming back to a leaf in the grass in the backyard.   It was calling to me as the light was filtering through it and the grass surrounding it.   I just felt compelled to grab the camera and take it’s picture.  Down on my belly in the wet grass I went with the macro lens on my Canon.  I left it as I took it SOOC.   Seems I got some nice

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  The seedheads of the Allium are looking interesting in the garden.  The black seed in the middle is in stark contrast to the parchment casings and I love the umbel shape of them.  For Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday challenge we choose what ever textures we wanted to use as long as one of them was Kim’s.   So, I chose an overlay from Shadowhouse Creations called Box 5.  I used the blending mode

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Rita at the Coffeeshop Blog is a whiz at making templates for collages or storyboards and lots of actions for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. If you haven’t visited her website please go and visit.   I shamelessly download just about everyone she comes up with.   This morning I was out in the Sandbox trying to find something for my Mosaic Monday post and as I went around the side of the

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    I have a macro lens for my “Lensbaby composer” that I like to use.  It gets me right in close but also gives me those blurred out spots that I enjoy.   I took many pictures this week of some carnations but I also took some pictures of the vase as I like the basket weave texture in it. I will be joining Laura at Blogging from Bolivia for Macro Friday.  We had a dusting of snow last night.   I

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    I am taking a course offered by Susannah Conway called Photo Meditations at the moment.   I need to develop my photograph style and she gives great lessons on how to look at different aspects as we take pictures such as lines, texture, colour, shapes. This week she asked us to take our camera and focus on one thing as a muse and just take pictures of that muse in all kinds of ways looking at

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  The Christmas Cactus or botanically speaking Schlumbergera x buckleyi is beginning to bloom in the kitchen.   I have three colours; a pale pink, a white, a red-orange one.   The pale pink was the first to bloom this week.  They are so delicate.  The Christmas cactus is a short-day plant blooming from mid October.  Does not like to be overwatered but better kept on the dry side out of drafts. 

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  Would you laugh if I told that this morning I could not find my glasses.  I looked all over the house for them today and did not find them.   My husband had a look around when he got home from work and he found them but he won’t tell me where.   I had to get by with a pair of magnified glasses that I purchased at the grocery store some time ago to keep by the computer.   I have been under the

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  I am so late in getting my garden put to bed for the winter.   Finally, this week I found an afternoon to get started and the wheelbarrow filled up quickly with spend plants and weeds that needed to go in the garden trash bag.    The milkweed is considered to be a noxious weed here and farmers are encouraged to eradicate it from their fields.   In my garden however, the milkweed plant is a

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  For our challenge this week for Texture Tuesday we were to use the texture “and then some”.  I used it on a photo of the little bench by the front door.   I used the texture twice with blending modes of lighten and softlight.  I did use a layer mask to take of texture where I did not want it.  I even added a little bit of whimsy with some Halloween brushes.   I will be joining Kim Klassen for

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    I was trying to come up with something for this week’s mosaic that reflected the colours of the season and Halloween together and all the time I was uploading the photos onto the collage template I heard the song from Joseph and the Amazing Dreamcoat going around in my head.   I saw this play with Donnie Osmond in Toronto and bought the cassette (who has those).  I think I wore it out

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    As I was coming along the country road I spied this little boat in a pond.   I stopped and took a few pictures of it.   Kim’s challenge for Texture Tuesday was to use two textures.   I changed the colour photo to a black and white and then added Kim’s texture Autumn burst on blending mode of softlight and turned it so that the holes were on the left.  I did a levels adjustment and then added

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    Today was the first sunny day we have seen in this area for over a week.    My friend Jen was going to her brother’s farm and I tagged along.   While she was in the house I walked around and snooped into all kinds of things.   I had a lovely visit with the cows.   As  with most farms there were a few cats about.  The little black and white was just outside the barn door.   The grey one with

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  I just had to share this with you today.   I took a photo of the walnut tree in our backyard just a couple of days ago.   This morning when I looked out most of the leaves had fallen off.   In another day or so the tree will be defoliated.   Sigh!!!   Now we wait while it has its nap for the winter before coming back to life in the spring.  Sigh!!!!    This gardener is indeed sad.    Valerie

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  The roses have made many hips and I thought the red was perfect for Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen.  After my clean edit I changed the picture to a black and white and then using a layer mask I used a black brush to remove the black and white from the red of the berries and the leaves and stems..   I used Kim Klassen’s texture “autumn” two times.  The first layer was using blending mode of

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    Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian Blogging friends.   It has been the most wonderful weather here with warm temperatures.  We had our family dinner yesterday so that the kids could go to dinner to their spouses or soon to be spouses family dinner today.    Our oldest son got a deep fryer for cooking a turkey for his birthday and we decided to try it out.   It took approximately 45

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In our area of southern Ontario the leaves have not turned colour too much.  Farther north the show is farther along.  I did find in the Sandbox colour on the Sumac tree.   For Kim Klassen"s challenge for Texture Tuesday this week we were to use at least two textures.   I chose "ugglove" which I duplicated twice.   I then added a texture from Isabel LaFrance from her SoulGlow layers called

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  Last Friday I was volunteering in the Master Gardener booth at the Markham Fair.  This is a large fair in our area.  I was posted in the Horticultural Building where there are displays of vegetables, flowers, photography, crafts and children’s posters and crafts.   I was taken with the little arrangements in teacups that were in a glass case as they were so delicate and the colours soft and

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  It is now just two weeks away to our son’s wedding.   Lots of decisions and frayed nerves as finalization of details need to be made.  The photo this morning is showing the little fabric flower in the middle of the bow on the invitation.   The bride to be has chosen all the autumnal colours for the wedding.    They are my favourite colours.    I am joining Laura at Blogging From Bolivia for

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I am enjoying the last of the annuals in the garden.  They are getting a bit tired looking now but they have been a constant source of colour through out the summer even despite the periods of intense heat and humidity.  I will endeavor  to bring some of them in for the winter for next years cuttings.  For Kim Klassen’s challenge this week we were to think LOVE.   I used two layers of Kim’s

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  Last Friday friends, Jennifer, Judith Marilyn and myself decided to take a little visit to a lovely little village about an hour away called Creemore.  It is a touristy type of town with lots of galleries, quaint shops and lovely places to eat.   Unfortunately, the day was calling for a good downpour.   We got to visit a few of the stores and oogle and google over things.   We were told by a

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  I spied a single leaf on the deck the other day and ran to grab the camera before it blew away. Some of the trees are beginning to turn colour here.   For Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesday challenge I added two layers of Autumn burst and then one layer of Scripted autumn to add some texture.  I am also joining The Creative Exchange over at Lisa Gordon Photography.    Valerie

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    In the spring of the year the leaves of the colchicum come up out of the ground and then disappear for the summer. In September you will spot the flowers and no leaves.  It seems they appear like magic.  One day there is nothing there and the next the showy blooms are saying “Hi here we are”.   The bulbs are offered for sale in the fall of the year to plant for next year’s bloom.  They are

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  One morning as I was walking around the garden with my camera I spotted this morning glory that seemed to be lit from within.   I framed it with one of Isabel LaFrance’s frames.    I am joining Macro Friday with Laura at Blogging from Bolivia.    Come over and see more fabulous macros.    Has your weather turned cooler?   Ours has.   There has been talk of frosts in places just north of us.

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    The challenge for this weeks Texture Tuesday is using Kim’s newest texture “Autumn Burst” and providing a photo using the verb “do”.    My kettle is a can do appliance in the afternoon when I feel like a cup of tea or coffee.   I used two layers of Autumn Burst and one layer of Isabel LaFrance’s texture Extra Warm Sun.   Valerie

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    Annabelle Hydrangeas are easy to grow and the blooms get to an incredible size.  They start out a beautiful creamy white and as they age they take on a green tinge and then go to brown.   They are easy to use as a dried arrangement by taking some cuttings and put them in a vase with just a teensy of water.   The water will evaporate but the flower head will stay just perfect. This

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  In the stores and nurseries these days are containers of beautiful chrysanthemums.  They come in so many beautiful colours and it hard to choose.   I bought a few  pots of different colours to put into a container.  This one called to me this morning with the light on the petals.    I will be joining Laura at Blogging from Bolivia for Macro Friday.   The fall fairs and festivals have begun.

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Kim’s Challenge this week was to use her texture called “Cracker Jack”  I really like the plastery feel of this texture.  The gloxinia was a gift from my husband’s uncle who knows that I love a pretty flower.   It has flowered off and on in it’s pot outside on a shelf on the fence.  I will be joining Kim Klassen Café for Texture Tuesday.    Valerie

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  I was staying with my Dad over the last few days.  He lives alone a two hour drive from me.  At 91 he has been very healthy but recently he had a little problem with his tummy.   While I was there I decided to do a little gardening. He has a fellow that cuts his grass and keeps the property cleaned up but he does not garden.  The flowerbeds were very overgrown with weeds.   As I was looking

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I spotted this bee in the Clematis Orientalis today.  This clematis is a very vigourous grower.  It has formed a large vine on the arbour by the deck and is now just loaded with bloom.  I was just attempting to take a macro shot of the flower when along came the bee. I shot away until I got a good capture.   I will be joining Laura at Blogging from Bolivia for Macro Friday.   This is the labor

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  Do you remember the Ikea commercial when the woman yells at her husband “START THE CAR START THE CAR”? I always laughed at that.  Well, the same kind of incidence happened this past weekend to me.  We were camping with our kids and their families in a Provincial Park an hours drive away from home.  My husband and I were in the truck going to the beach when I spotted this big patch of

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I drove one of these babies for 20 years so I thought it fitting for Kim Klassen’s challenge for Texture Tuesday called “Back to School”.    I used textures 10-10-10 at blending mode of overlay 69% opacity and another layer of same at Linear Dodge 76% opacity.  I removed the texture over the school bus on both layers.  I then added texture Autumn at Softlight and opacity of 69%. Valerie

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I can hear the crickets now in the mornings singing loudly and the dew on the ground is getting heavier. That tells me the summer is waning and fall is not far behind.   We were at our youngest son’s house last night for dinner and the buzz is all about the upcoming wedding.  They are counting down the weeks and everyone is so excited that it get here quickly.   I am too.   I am looking forward

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Froggie is a screen cleaner that sits on my desk.   I thought I would use him as my macro this week for Macro Friday at Laura’s.  Valerie

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  As soon as I fill the tray feeder in the morning Mr. Chippy arrives and starts filling his cheeks to bulging with the sunflower and peanuts in the mix.   Instagram frame from Katie Lloyd.   Valerie

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  This is my entry into the Challenge by French Kiss Textures that instructed us to use the texture called PurpleProse and then enter into their contest.  I think the lilac Clematis goes well with this texture.   So here goes.  Wish me luck.   Valerie

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A lovely peach hibiscus that sits by the front door.

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Kim’s Challenge for this week was “its the little things” for www.kimklassen.com/texturetuesday/ My entry is the Clematis virginiana or Virgin’s Bower a native vine to North America.  The flowers are about 1  inch or 2.5cm in width. I have it growing on an arbor into the vegetable garden.  I used Kim’s newer texture called “canvasbackmagic” and used the recommended blending mode of screen and

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I am so happy with this flower bed.  It went from an eyesore in the spring when it was just a place that collected an old dilapidated burning barrel, left over stone from a project, a pile of weeds and some brush to a vision of colour and beauty.  It started with a good clean up and a load of triple mix.  My husband built me the obelisk.  It went in the centre.  Around it I started some seed

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Belamcamba chinensis or Blackberry Lily is a native plant of North America.    I have a love affair with these lovely vintage frames and cannot stop using them on everything.   This one was a shout out from  Rosie of LeavesnBloomphotography yesterday and can be found at Fuzzimo. Joining Laura for Macro Friday

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I heard about a site called Polaroin today.  They will download one of your own photos onto a Polaroid .  I thought it was kinda cool.

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Pale yellow single rose in the Sandbox garden with a vintage frame from CoffeeshopBlog a great place for all things Photoshop or Elements.

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Joining Kim Klassen Cafe for Texture Tuesday   Recipe: Texture is Kim Klassen Raggedy paper 4.   Blending Mode  at Colour Burn 20%.  Duplicate layer and used blending mode Screen at 40%.  Removed texture from flowers on both layers.

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I recently purchased a new lens for my camera.   It is called a “Lensbaby Composer”.  Why I needed a new way of looking at my already distorted world I do not know but I find I am a bit of a gadget geek.   Love new and shiny things….all within reason of course.   The Lensbaby Composer is a prime SLR lens that you use to get creative shots with.  It is totally manual and can be complicated to

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Laura at Blogging from Bolivia hosts Macro Friday.   This week I am showing a photomerged photo of three similar macro photos of the Eryngium ‘amethystinum’ that I have growing in the Sandbox gardens.    I have three varieties of Eryngium, the planum with a small blue steel-blue flowers, the amethystinum and a giganteum that will have  very large silvery-grey flower bracts.   The photo makes my

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  Kim Klassen Cafe Texture Tuesday challenge is DREAM.   I used this photo of a miniature arrangement that was shown at a recent flower show.  I used Kim Klassen’s texture “dream” at a blending mode of multiply and 59% opacity.   I removed the texture on the flowers.   I duplicated the layer and used the blending mode of colour burn at 46% opacity and removed the texture from the flowers.  I

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Last year Bella of Bella’s Rose Garden offered anyone that was interested a packet of mauve poppy seeds that she had collected from her garden.  I jumped at the chance of growing some in the Sandbox.  They are just the palest shade of mauve.  So pretty and delicate.   I hope to collect the seed from my own crop and start them in all kinds of places for next year.  I will have a much bigger

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Under one of the birdfeeders some of the sunflower seeds have sprouted and several have developed into beautiful flowers.   I have been photographing them before the chipmunks or the squirrels pull them down to eat the seeds. This photo was taken with the EFS 55-250 zoom lens. Just for fun I put into a vintage snapshot frame.   I am joining in the fun at Blogging from Bolivia with

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  This weeks challenge for Texture Tuesday was a photo using the texture by Kim Klassen called “Aurora”.  The Shasta daisies are still looking good in the garden despite this period of drought and extreme heat.   I will be participating in Kim Klassen Cafe’s Texture Tuesday.  Won’t you join us.    Valerie

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A while ago a friend of mine whom I have know since we were just little kids sent me an email to tell me that our old street was having a reunion.   I left that street in 1967 when my parents bought a new build in a subdivision north of the city of Peterborough.   For 19 years of my life I lived on Welsh St. and the neighbourhood was full of kids.   We all were friends as we went to the same

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It has been hot and dry the last couple of weeks in the Sandbox.  The grass is already turning brown and crispy.  It was only a few weeks ago that we were exclaiming that the lawn looked pretty good because of all the rain.   How quickly things change when you garden on sandy soil. I thought showing you what is in bloom at the moment would be easier in collages.   The first one is Daylily ‘

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  Kim’s challenge for Texture Tuesday was pink.   I planted a climber this year called America that is a lovely soft pink.   For this challenge I  used Kim’s dusty rose texture at a blend mode of soft light 100% opacity and then duplicated it with a blending mode of multiply at 20% opacity.   I removed the texture from the blossom.   I then added another of Kim’s textures called aurora at a

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On Saturday my husband and I went on a hike in the York Region Forest.   Several times throughout the summer there are guided hikes through various parts of the York Region Forest and they are themed for families with different interests.   It could be finding frogs in the pond or bird watching or identifying native plants.   The hike we participated in was at the Hollidge Tract and was geared

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  The Achillea or Yarrow ‘Moonshine’ is blooming out by the pond.   This plant is a truly drought tolerant plant.   It blooms for a long time and has wonderful structure and form.   I love the flat heads for photography and the colour of schoolbus yellow is a favourite in hot places. I am joining Laura at Blogging from Bolivia for Macro Friday.   Have a great weekend.    Valerie

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This weeks challenge on Kim Klassen Cafe Texture Tuesday is three.   Right now the strawberries are ready to be picked. I bought a flat the other day to eat some and freeze some.  They are so sweet, juicy and delicious.   I used three for my texture today.   I used KK’s texture Raggedy Paper 1 and removed some of the texture from the berries.   Have a great day.   Valerie

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    The poppies are blooming in profusion in one of the beds of the Sandbox.   In the early morning you can find me out there in my housecoat with the camera trying to capture them before the breeze comes up and blows them here and there.   It must have been a mixed packet of seed that I strew in the flowerbed because the blooms are either a deep red, a peachy pink with a white fringe or a

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    On July 1 of each year we celebrate the birth of a nation.   Canada began as a country 144 years ago.   There will be fireworks and parades and backyard barbeques to mark the momentous occasion.    Our neighbours to the south in the United States of America will celebrate the 4th of July in much the same way.   Have you put out your flag yet?   I hope you have a wonderful weekend.   Save me

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In the last few weeks I have been gathering photos for a video to be shown at our younger son’s wedding in October.   I had to look through boxes of bad photos taken with film but I got quite a few laughs during the process and it wasn’t all the pictures of the kids as they grew up.  I started to put aside all the pictures of the house through the years and the evolution of the Sandbox.  We

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-76058542430203760092011-06-27T19:52:00.001-04:002011-06-27T19:52:31.169-04:00

Recently our Naturalists group took a last hike through the nature reserve close to us before we took a summer break.   Ontario Nature who owns the reserve put up nesting boxes for various birds and this one just caught my eye with the back lighting and shadows.   I decided to use this photo for my texture this week.  I began by using an action from Florabella called summer haze and then added

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-77061803155651189202011-06-26T15:10:00.001-04:002011-06-26T15:10:06.736-04:00

  Several colours of Lychnis or Campion reside in the Sandbox.  They are in bloom now.   Last year I purchased the newest variety called “Angels Blush”.  They make a pretty mosaic for the last week in June.   The description from my favourite reference book by John Valleau of Heritage Perennials says  that Lychnis is related to the Dianthus and have flowers in bright pink, magenta, red or

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-78598584004422801982011-06-23T21:34:00.001-04:002011-06-23T21:34:05.925-04:00

It rained off and on all day but I went out after supper to catch these few blooms to share with you.   I have lots of these red poppies in the flowerbeds in the back garden.   I love the brilliance of them and how delicate they look.     The Gaillardia or blanket flower is just so pretty in the flowerbed.   This plant is a great choice for hot and sunny locations. One of my favourites each

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-53772416377358487482011-06-21T08:30:00.000-04:002011-06-21T08:30:03.277-04:00

I found this challenge a bit daunting as I don’t take people photos very often. I find them hard to edit because I am afraid of making them look less than flattering. This photo was taken last winter when our camera club took a trip into Toronto for a day of shooting around town. In the Distillery District of Toronto there are some old cars to give a bit of atmosphere to the place. One of the

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-34785880678566931802011-06-19T16:00:00.001-04:002011-06-19T20:11:32.745-04:00

Today was the East Gwillimbury Friends of the Library Garden Tour.   Our garden was one of 11 gardens to visit.   We had 80 very enjoyable people come through.   Garden visitors are always appreciative of the time and effort you put forth getting your your flowers to look their very best and get out all the pesky weeds and grass out where it is not wanted.    We had lots of interesting

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-56767307808204063982011-06-17T06:54:00.001-04:002011-06-17T06:54:31.551-04:00

  The branches of the apple tree in our garden is loaded with little apples.  I tried to capture all the different colours in one of them.    I am joining Laura for Macro Friday Have a wonderful weekend.   Valerie

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-61676791035542473122011-06-13T21:08:00.001-04:002011-06-13T21:08:11.429-04:00

  I used the red water lily that is in our pond  for this weeks Texture Tuesday.   The texture I used was 2 layers of Mayzee from Kim Klassen. using blending modes of soft light and multiply.  I removed the texture from the lily and adjusted the saturation giving this texture a rather somber feeling.     Valerie

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-41108608436517549422011-06-12T16:00:00.000-04:002011-06-12T16:00:01.535-04:00

  This week in the Sandbox garden I have noticed that the flowers that are blooming now are mostly pink.   This gardener does not have beds of a particular colour but a mish mash of all colours dispersed all over.    I am not that clever to design for areas of colour so it is interesting to me to see certain colours emerge amass.   I had a period of yellows and then some whites, now pinks and I

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  My textured photo is showing the cool calmness of the forest in spring.   I used two layers of Kim Klassen’s texture luminous with blending modes of soft light and multiply.   I then added an overlay from Shadowhouse called Box 1 to finish it off.   I hope it speaks to you too.  I will be joining Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen Cafe and Touch Up Tuesday with Paper Heart Camera.    My

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-6869763726215273502011-06-05T15:58:00.001-04:002011-06-05T15:58:13.703-04:00

  We are enjoying a very warm and sunny Sunday today.   I am happy to report that all 4 baby groundhogs and  their Mommy have been relocated.   We can get back to planting and sprucing our garden up for a garden tour in two weeks.     I thought I would show you the Bridlewreath Spirea again.   It is so pretty out at the front of the house.    Wishing you a wonderful week.   Valerie I will be

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-11028882083207674352011-06-03T11:10:00.001-04:002011-06-03T11:10:56.679-04:00

    I agreed to be one of the gardens in a garden tour given by the Friends of the Library.   I must have been delusional because I really don’t consider my garden worthy of ooohs and aaahs from visitors.   I garden on sand not lovely loam or water holding clay.    Anyway,   here I am scurring to make a silk purse out of a sows ear in time for June 18….showtime.     I had trays of annuals and

Gardening in a Sandboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06637549836563211475noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428890523957808283.post-1518592862941036712011-05-30T21:12:00.001-04:002011-05-30T21:12:49.577-04:00

The watering can is an old galvanized one from my husband’s family.   It is in regular use here in the Sandbox.   I wonder if anyone can guess what the flowers are.   Just a little hint.  They are not lilacs.   The texture I used this week was two layers of stained linen by Kim Klassen.   I am joining Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen and Paper Heart Camera for Touch Up Tuesday.  Have a great

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