Retouching pictures is hard work, unless you’ve got a good eye and like doing it. There’s a lot involved although sometimes it doesn’t look like it.  When I was younger, I made lots of retouching mistakes that result in very obvious photoshopping.  But the secret is to enhance the picture as natural as possible. 

People ask me to sometimes retouch their pictures. 
Here’s one I did this week: before (left) after (right):

Here’s the second picture she requested:
Click on them to enlarge…

There’s so much news I want to post but I’m trying to wait for the right time.

One piece of news I wanted to blog about is more of the sad side, with my younger sister having abruptly relocated to Cali for more job opportunity.  She wasn’t too keen with working at New York and saw limited work in Phila. so in the span of one month, she was contacted by a college friend who was starting a new business.  She gave an offer to Kris, so without proper planning of a goodbye get together, she flew to Cali w/ my brother last weekend. 

We all wish her the very best and we know she’s more than qualified for what’s out there.

Some photos my brother took while they were scouting out the place:

This is my mother being worried:

Kris. If you’re reading this…

… please allow yourself a very healthy group of friends who will enrich you while you’re there. And don’t forget to read your Bible and pray every day. Love you and we miss you.

Yesterday I was teaching Emma about geography with her first atlas and she can point out what state she lives in and the state where you now live.  She also knows the Jersey flag as well as the California flag.

Ingredients:

Fettucini Pasta
Alfredo Sauce
Chicken Breast
Broccoli
Bella Mushrooms
Garlic Powder
Salt
1 Red Bell Pepper

Directions:

1) Melt some butter in a huge frying pan (big enough to later add the veggies and pasta).  Cook the diced chicken pieces under med. heat until every side is cooked (don’t overcook!).  I used 2 chicken breasts.  Add some garlic powder and salt (just enough, you could always add some more after it’s all done).

2) While the chicken is cooking, boil water in a deep pot for fettucini pasta.  After boiling, drop just a little bit of cooking oil in the water to prevent pasta from sticking.  Then add the pasta in the water and cook until the pasta is tender.  I used 3/4 of the box. 

3) Cooking the pasta will take a while, and so will the chicken, so meanwhile, prepare your veggies!!  I used half of one red bell pepper, fresh broccoli stalks (cut into 4ths), and diced 4-5 bella mushrooms sideways.  You can always proportion it to your taste, depending on what you prefer to eat (but believe me, the mushrooms are to die).

4)  Once chicken is done, take it out of the pan and set aside.  Put all veggies in the same pan and cook until they’ve darkened and have become tender.  This will take about 10 minutes or so on med. heat.  After cooked, add the chicken and put heat on low.

5)  Pour the whole jar of Alfredo sauce to cover the chicken and veggies.  I used Rinaldo Alfredo Sauce.  Stir until sauce covers the goods.

6)  Check the pasta and see if it’s tender enough to take off the heat.  Once it’s done, drain it and pour cold water over it to prevent it from cooking more.  Once drained, join the the pasta with its friends in the big pan and stir until everything is covered.

7) Add more garlic powder or salt to taste. 

Take off from heat and serve w/ Parmesan cheese over it.  Should serve 4-5 people.

Lemmeno how it goes if you’ve tried the recipe.  I was just trying some stuff out and it turned out great.  Hopefully I’ll blog more on cooking since I can now say I know how to cook, not with an iron mitt, but good enough that my husband will kiss me on the cheek and say dinner was great. =D

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a movie review, but after seeing Once, I feel it a dishonor to the creators/musicians for not passing it on to other movie viewers & musicians.

It’s a completely brilliant and refreshing film about a musician’s plight to get his music off the streets and into rotation, but never really gets the gumption to do it until, out of happenstance, this ordinary woman approaches him one night while he’s singing out his lungs and angst ridden heart.  Brilliantly enough, they have no names, and they look ordinary, yet resembling the normal Irish man and Czech woman.  But from the beginning of their meeting, to the randomness of their conversations, you find yourself cozied up within their budding friendship and obvious musical connection.  His songs are climaxing, strong, and honest; she helps fill in his songs that were once void of calm sweetness by singing superb harmony and infusing simple piano melodies.

But what makes the movie work most is its honesty between them.  If the two characters were a song, they’d be initially subtle, strong, beautiful, but with an underlying tension and tragedy (somewhat like "Falling Slowly").  Speaking of songs, Glen Hansard and  Markéta Irglová star in this film, as brilliant musicians, having written most of the songs together. 

"Falling Slowly" (above) won an Oscar for best music in a film, beating the other nominated candidates Enchanted and August Rush.   I recommend buying the soundtrack on iTunes.  It’s superb, honest, and melodic. Just great music.  I mean, I hardly pay for my music but this time, after having seen the movie, I quickly researched the two musicians and wanted the soundtrack.

After the Movie:

A budding romance followed quickly while filming the movie between these two musicians (a happy ending after all!!!).  After the movie, they made a band, The Swell Season (named after Hansard’s favorite book) and is currently touring US and international venues.  He’s 38 and she’s 20, but their musical prowess really equal each other, him having experience in a band and she being classically trained in piano and voice. 

So the movie doesn’t have to end…you can see them continue to make music…and hopefully with fingers crossed, maybe a much needed sequel.

                                                                               GO SEE IT.
                                                                               LIKE NOW.

I’m usually the ‘go-to’ person for graphic work for announcements, invitations, pictures, etc.  This year, I was asked to make invitations.  Last Sunday, I finally finished all the SJBCI 2008 Anniversary Invitations.  They wanted something a little more formal so I made these:

This was taken by my iPhone so it’s a little blurry but they’re easy to make.  The final invitation has the dimensions of 4.5×6.

Materials:

Photoshopped graphic
Photo Printer
White 8×11 Cardstock Paper
Paper Cutter
Oatmeal Textured 12×12 Cardstock Scrapbook Paper
3D Mounting Square Mounting Stickers

Directions:

So to start, I took a digital picture of the pews in our church and retouched it so it looked polished to use as a background for the invitation.  I started w/ the original (photo on left) and retouched the picture and added text (photo on right):

I used this as the main invitation found inside of the outer envelope.  To save on costs, I opted to have them printed on photo machines costing $.15-$.20 instead of printing 2 on cardstock paper from Staples which would have cost $1.05. 

I then took the 12×12 Textured Cardstock Paper and cut them in half using a paper cutter.  Using a 3D mounting square sticker, I attached the invitation in the middle of the textured cardstock paper.  I then folded the cardstock paper in 3 as to showcase the invitation in the middle when the envelope is opened.

Again using photoshop, I created a text graphic, matching the "Going, Going, & Beyond" which said "You’re Invited."  I printed 28 on one page and had it colored printed on White  8×11 cardstock paper from Staples.  I used a paper cutter to cut them little rectangles.  Again, I used the 3D mounting squares to elevate the sticker on the envelope.

All the colors matched.  I used the fall color palate of brown, mustard, gold, and oatmeal.  It got good feedback, so I was glad they ended up looking very polished and professional.

Any questions??

This year, I was asked to conceptualize the invitation for SJBCI’s 20th year anniversary.  I was surprised because having been given the task last year, I don’t feel like I did the best job. 

But, without procrastinating, I set to work and chose to feature our church once more as the background graphic.

So you’re definitely invited:

Feel free to download and help us promote the event:  SJBCI 2008 Anniv Promotional Media

gray skies above me
won’t dampen this joy I feel
another blessing