A Little George "W" Bush Humor...

just couldn't help it...all in good fun, of course! :-)

Spot-Coloring With Photoshop

Just having a little fun with one of my favorite shots from Czech Days 2007. I loved Kaitlin's stance and the way that she was 'framed' by the other dancers, but felt it could be even more dramatic with a little photoshop play.

The Original

Kaitlin in Color Only Kaitlin's Costume in Color

Please...tell me which one is your favorite: 1) all color, 2) Kaitlin in color or 3) only costume in color.

I used the same process to produce both altered versions (using Photoshop Elements 4):

1. Open photo in Photoshop
2. Right click on the photo in the layers palette (on the right)
3. Select ‘Duplicate Layer’, name your layer and click ‘OK’
4. Select your new duplicate layer
5. Pull down the ‘Create Adjustment Layer’ menu and select ‘Hue/Saturation’
6. Adjust the saturation to -100, click ‘OK’
7. Click on the ‘Zoom’ tool in the left sidebar and zoom in on your photo so that you can easily see your edges
8. Click on the ‘Eraser’ tool in the left sidebar
9. In the bar just above your photo, choose your brush type and size (totally depends on the level of detail in your photo and the degree you zoomed in on your photo – choose levels you are comfortable with)
10. Start ‘erasing…you should see you color copy (the background) begin to show through
11. When you are finished, pull down the ‘Layer’ menu and select ‘Flatten Image’
12. SAVE

Cute-As-A-Button Button Storage

I had been looking for something to store my buttons in for quite some time, but just couldn't quite find what I was looking for...until now:

I found these mini, wide-mouth jars at Wal-Mart and they are PERFECT! Love them! And cost effective, too. I don't remember the exact cost, but it was under $4 for a pack of 4 jars.

The only adjustment I made was to glue the lids to the bands with some clear adhesive so that they would stay together when open. Then, I just divided my buttons by color and I'm set...they are just so 'cute'!

SSFS #21 - Scrapbooking Your Heritage

All this posting on last weekends Czech Days this week got me thinking that this week's Sunday Spur was simply obvious - scrapbooking your heritage! One's heritage is such an important part of who they are, so why not celebrate it by documenting it in our scrapbooks!

There are so many topics/themes that could be considered for a layout:

*traditional costumes
*traditional foods
*festivals/celebrations
*traditions/holidays specific to your heritage
*facts about the 'home country' - past and/or present
*physical or personality traits of those of your nationality

This is just the tip of the iceberg!

I am 100% Czech...and for individuals my age in America, it is quite rare to be 100% anything. So, this is definitely something that makes me feel somewhat unique. When I was in college (we won't talk about how long ago that was), I did a family history project and found the following excerpt describing Czechs:

“As regards their physiological features, the Czechs are of middle height, not fat but muscular, resilient, firm and strong. Their build is excellent, and they are possessed of much sensual agility. The Czechs’ spiritual nature is generally good. Their heart is tender and gentle. A generally prevailing passion which might have Czechs in its grip is not in evidence. Their mental gifts are certainly excellent. Their aptitude for various sciences and art is tremendous. They are well-endowed with natural intelligence. They share their, practically innate, predisposition for music with other Slav nations. As regards their morals, the Czechs are generally religious, often even superstitious, they are devoted to the religion of their fathers, the old monarchy-based system of government, and their old customs and habits; they are industrious and perseverant, they face courageously all adversity, even war, but remain peace-loving, always in good spirits, understanding, charitable, honest, and faithful; in their outward behaviour they are direct, dry, and typically display less refinement. That is the basic nature of Czechs, where it remained pure and untouched…”

This description was written in 1794 by Jos. Ant. Riegger, a knight, German by birth but otherwise an authority on things Czech. Is it a generalization? Sure. Is it still interesting (at least for someone who is Czech)? Definitely! It is interesting to me to here how my ancestors would be described before they ever even set foot on American soil, let alone made a home in the Midwest. It is interesting (and somewhat amazing) to me how much of this description I can still recognize in my family members and myself.

With my daughter, I have broken the chain by marrying a 'DIG' (Dutch, Irish & German) boy, but she is STILL 50% Czech. by gosh, and I certainly hope she we retain all the best of what the nationality has to offer.

Remember the layout I shared last week from the last Czech Days? Well, behind the main photo on the bottom right, you will find the passage above...just one way of keeping the heritage alive!

Kiddie Parade Kaitlin

So, Kaitlin did enter the Czech Days Kiddie Parade last Saturday! Here's proof:


If I had had more time (in other words, not come up with a slogan and decided to put her in only the day before!), I could have done a little more. All I really had time for was the signs...wish we could have added some streamers or balloons or something to her bike. Oh well, there's always next year (because now that she's done it once, she's certainly not going to let me off the hook next year!).

It was a LONG, HOT wait for the parade to get underway and Kaitlin was getting a little crabby, but once she got the 'OKAY' to peddle and experienced the excitement of her cheering and 'aww'ing (as in, 'How cute is she?!') onlookers, she was all smiles. She rang her little heart out on her bicycle bell all the way through the parade (our slogan makes a little more sense now, doesn't it?).

Chris Daughtry at the Sioux Empire Fair, My Becky Fleck Page Maps Debute and a Kaitlin Witticism

I actually have quite a lot to cover tonight, so here it goes:

#1 - I love my sister. Yes, I do! My sister Lynnie, with all of her awesome workplace connections, emailed me today that she got FREE TICKETS for us to Chris Daughtry's concert at the Sioux Empire Fair in Sioux Falls, SD on August 9th. I am so pumped!! I haven't been to a concert since I was in college (we won't discuss how long ago that was) and now I'm going to TWO of them (post about the other one) in August!! For your listening pleasure, click play to hear Daughtry's "Home."

Chris_Daughtry - H...

#2 - The June edition of Becky Fleck's PageMaps came out today. Why is this a big deal (to me anyway), you might ask? Well, because I have a layout featured in it and Becky Fleck is my FAVORITE scrapbook layout sketch artist...LOVE this woman's work. Here was the sketch assignment I received in late April:

And this is the layout I created which was inspired by it:

It was so much fun and I am so honored to have been asked by her to contribute!! I hope that the invitation will not be the last. You definitely need to head on over to PageMaps and check out Becky's extensive archive of GREAT sketches and also see some of the other talented artists included in the June addition.

#3 - Kaitlin surely is a source of fun and laughter in our household. In fact, I don't think I know anyone that can amuse me like she can.

Last night, we were watching TV and a commercial for Pantene Pro-V came on with these model with long, luxurious, shiny hair. Kaitlin said, "Mommy, you should get that shampoo. It would make your hair prettier." (Like, obviously all it takes is the right shampoo to have hair like the models on TV...right?)

"Don't you like my hair?" I asked.

"No, not really..."

I furrowed my brow, stuck out my bottom lip a bit and feigned hurt feelings. Kaitlin's eyes got big...she realized her blunder and immediately went into damage control mode.

"Oh, I like the yellow parts, Mommy," she said and I begin to smile. "But not really the brown parts," she continued. Uh oh...we're backtracking here - down went my brows.

"But I have brown parts, too, Mom, and I don't like my brown parts either. I just like my yellow parts like I like your yellow parts, Mom..."

I was still frowning.

Kaitlin sighed and said, "I love you, Mommy," with the sweetest little smile.

I couldn't help but laugh at her. Now, if only my hubby could learn how to dig himself out his holes that well!!