Photo Art Friday - Feeling Squirrely

Hello and Happy Friday! - It's time for one of my favorite weekly features.  Photo Art Friday on Bonnie's Blog, Pixel Dust Photo Art.  This week she challenged us to try a new technique, new editing tool, something out of our "norm" etc...So since I'm pretty much a "newbie" when it comes to anything photography related that left things really wide open for me.  I'm going to start by saying that I am slowly but surely searching out tutorials on how to use the Gimp program to edit my photos.  Since I don't own PSE and can't afford it I'm using Gimp as it's "Free".

For starters this week I found a short explantion on how to use the Brightness/Contrast feature to edit an (okay) photo and make it a (better) photo.

I started with this picture of a Squireel that I'd taken awhile back on the shed in my mom's yard. 

This is my "Before" version

Here is my "After" version. - I think this one looks much crisper/sharper.

Next up is another Squirrel photo I took out in our back yard area where we park our van.  We have a Feeder there that the squirrels visit on a daily basis for the Peanuts and Corn that I put in the feeder.  This one was up in a tree just under the feeder.  Later there is a video of this squirrel so be sure to check out my entire entry.

I did a little editing with the Microsoft photo editing program.  Then I decided to play around with this photo using Gimp.  I ended up using a feature called, Pencil Sketch and came up with this photo below.

I really like this effect and it's something that I haven't ever tried before so I think it qualifies under the challenge.

























Now I promised that there was a "Video" so be sure to watch this little ditty.  -  I happened to be outside when I heard some squirrels chattering back and forth.  I went in and got my camera and decided to video tape them.  After locating them in the tree I started filming.  You can obviously tell that something was really upsetting these poor squirrels.  The one really starts chattering rather boisterously.  I couldn't figure out what on earth was bothering them (until later)...

Later after I'd gone to the store and returned home I spotted something on the shed behind the fence next to the squirrel feeder. I happened to have my camera with me and was able to snap this photo just before said squirrel deterrent fled the scene.

Kitty must have been laying on top of the shed while the squirrels were in the tree hoping one would come down for peanuts and become said kitty's lunch! Curses....foiled again.

Macro Monday Meets Monster Mash

It's Monday and here in the US it's also Halloween.  One of my favorite holidays since I was a kid.  What's more fun then dressing up in a costume and going door to door filling up a bag with yummy candy!

In honor of this holiday for my Macro Monday on Lisa's Chaos & 31 Days of Reflection I am show casing Halloween Ghoulishness.

Can you guess what this is?

This is a close-up of a Floormat that I purchased many years ago and decided it made a much better wall hanging. Who would want to walk all over something this awesome.
There is no artist listed anywhere on this rug and oh how I wish there was as I just love this piece and would like to know if there is anything else out there like it. 

Talk about "Scared to Death" this look pretty much says it all.  I edited this in Black and White for a much spookier effect.

Below is what this actually is:

It's actually a Styrofoam pumpkin. The stem was chewed off by one of our cats a couple of years ago so maybe that's how the look of fear arrived on this poor pumpkins face!

For my last musical reflection I am going with:  Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Cryptkickers (don't you love the name of the back-up group).

Happy Haunting!

31 Days of Reflection - Cowboy Logic

Hello and Welcome.  - Well today is the last day of the PBR Bullriding finals so once again my musical selection relates to Cowboys.  Today I have chosen two songs, Cowboy Logic sung by Michael Martin Murphy and Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys by Willie Nelson

The first one is just a FUN song and the 2nd one I'm sharing because after watching some of yesterday's PBR finals and seeing the hits the cowboys and bull fighters took it seems like a very appropriate song.  - Check out this link to see what I'm talking about:

Long Live Cowboys!

31 Days of Reflection

Happy Saturday!  The day is rapidly winding down and I realized I hadn't yet posted my 31 Days of Reflection, musical selection yet.  In keeping with my "Cowboy" attitude for the PBR Bullriding Finals once again I am sharing a song about, Cowboys.

This time it's (Even Cowboys Like a Little Rock-n-Roll) by Chris LeDoux with Charlie Daniels. - I had the pleasure of hearing Chris in concert just about a year before he passed away.

Take care and I'll be back tomorrow with another musical selection.

Thought I'd also share a shot (taken off the television screen) of, Trickster one of the Bulls at the PBR Finals. 

Delicious Autumn

Hello and Happy Friday! - First before I get to my entry for Photo Art Friday I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and get well wishes for my mom.  I am happy to report that her BP seems to be under control now.  She had a good report at her doctor's visit on Wednesday and is feeling much better now.  I am slowly but surely catching up on e-mails and other stuff so hopefully I'll be able to visit each of your blogs and leave comments on your photos.

Here is my entry for this week.
I used Bonnie's Medieval Magic texture (again-can't seem to get enough of that one) on my photo.  Then edited further in Picnik.  Doggone I keep forgetting to write down what I do to these photo's.  At any rate I really like how this turned out and hope you do as well.

In case you can't read the quote I added:  Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~ George Eliot.

Here is my Original Photo:

Now for those who may have noticed I have missed another couple of days of my 31 Days of Reflection musical selections.  During the past couple of days our Internet was off due to lines being cut at a construction site about 50 miles from where we live.  So I've not been able to be on the computer much and just couldn't get songs posted.

We are "Big" PBR (Professional Bull Riders) fans and the Built Ford Tough finals have started in Las Vegas this week.  In honor of that event I am posting: Willie Nelson's,
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys as today's musical selection. 
Enjoy