give, love, inspire............

Give - love - inspire

With loving thanks to my dear friends for their love, and support. 

Where would we be without our friends.  They support us, give to us freely of their love and time, and inspire and encourage us to greater things. 

I have just started learning about textures - One of Kim's textures which I have used on this image is called "empty page" - fitting I think because doesn't every day of our life start as an "empty page"?

I have been doing a couple of texture classes with Kim Klassen - click on the link to check them out - there are several e-classes if you want to learn about textures -
www.kimklassencafe.com/photoshopecourses/

I have booked into Kim's 52 week - Beyond Layers - but pressing aging parent matters have sapped my energy and inspiration....hence.....  give - love - inspire.

I have just learnt this neat little trick where you can pick the colour of your text from somewhere on your image - ie as in this case purple from the lavender. 

 Lavender is one of my favourite garden flowers.  Below, I thought I would show you the textured version - on the left - and the unedited original -straight out of camera - on the right.
I wonder which one you prefer?

fly away to another sunset...........

Ever felt like you just want to fly away and touch a new sunset on a new horizon in another world? to escape?

This is a bit like how I am feeling at the moment - it has been an emotional week as we work through my mother's health issues, as well as being a support for my dad.  It has been, and still is, a difficult time as we work through our emotions and the needs and wishes of my mother and father.  What decision is right for both of them? It is never easy when one considers putting one's parent into long term residential care.....I pray that we make the right decision. And that in the end we all forgive ourselves, remove the guilt, and find our own peace.

This is posted "straight out of camera" - sunset, taken through aircraft window on a recent flight across Australia east to west. I loved the patterns of the clouds, like a wave curling over - and the colours! so glorious!


That is the cloud bank beneath. So pleased to have a window seat to enjoy the glorious sky. 

Take care, and have a wonderful weekend.

Mother love

My dear mother is sick in hospital at the moment, and I am not sure what the future holds for her......so I send her this rose with love.......
And my heart to my father and embrace them with my love during the days ahead for them both......

I am linking up to Texture Tuesday at Kim's Cafe. I have just started doing a couple of texture and layers classes with Kim at Kim's Cafe - please go to her site and visit Kim and the other talented contributors - you might like to take a class too - Kim's Cafe

To this image I have applied a levels adjustment, two of Kim's textures called "providence" and "embrace", and adjusted the words with a "soft light" adjustment.  Basic I know, but I have only just started learning.

Denmark and Walpole Wilderness, Western Australia

Here are a few random paragraphs from my latest published article - "Dandy Walpole"  - January edition of On the Road magazine, available in Australia. 

Towering red tingle and karri forests, wildflowers, rivers and inlets, and the Southern Ocean’s kilometres of picturesque coastal scenery, rugged headlands, rock pools and secluded beaches.  It is no wonder that tourists are drawn to this land of contrast along Western Australia’s south coast, where the seven National Parks of the Walpole Wilderness area form a biodiversity hotspot protecting around 2,500 species of native flora. 

Paperbarks, Wilson Inlet, Denmark

My first texture class

Well I have finally done it - I have taken the plunge and started a new artist direction.

With a huge thank you to Kim Klassen from Kim Klassen Cafe - I just completed my first lesson of my "Art of Texture e-course". Below is the result - it is a hydrangea from my garden.  What do you think?  I have wanted to learn about textures for so long - having seen the work of Kim and also other artists on Flickr.  Perhaps this will be my project for 2012. 

See here with textures added from Kim's textures - "beach sand" and "peacock" with painterly effect.

the original - straight out of camera..........

 I am joining Kim and other "texturists" for Texture Tuesday - please click on the link to see the work of Kim and other contributors - Texture Tuesday at Kim's Cafe

Thanks Kim! I am on my way!
ps - this took a while, but I was doing it step by step with the class video as I went. With luck as time goes by, with practice!, the process will speed up!

 I would be very interested which you like the best. You can be honest! My husband prefers the original!
Thanks all - I look forward to hearing from you.

I hope in 2012 you all dare to dream, start a new project, and enjoy the simple things in life that bring you happiness.

and so a new year begins

One year ends and another begins, and the circle of life begins anew. A time to reflect on the past year - both the joys and the sorrows, and a time to plan and look forward to the new year and the promises it holds for those who dare to dream.

As I look back over the past year, our aging parents have dominated our year (offset by the joys of our two grandsons), but we still managed to make time to get away for a few short trips. So here is a collage of our travel Western Australia 2011.

Across each row starting with top left - Row 1 - Greens Pool-William Bay-Denmark on the south coast, walking amongst Karri trees in the Shannon National Park, my grandson Owen exploring a pine forest near Balingup, leaving Bruce Rock in the wheat-belt on a trip after Easter, view of camp and beyond from John Forrest Lookout near Perenjori in the mid west.

Row 2 - the Pinnacles north of Perth, early morning mist over the ocean at Yallingup, coastal views from Cape Naturalist, vineyards near Yallingup, Hopetoun on the south coast.

Row 3 - Misty early morning view from McDermid Rock - east of Hyden, Cape Leeuwin lighthouse on our far south west corner, Jewell Cave near Augusta, harvest at Bruce Rock in the wheat-belt, and a small bush block near my home (if I want to go walking in the bush I just go there!).

If you would like to see more of of my incredibly beautiful state, Western Australia - then click on the link and go to my 52 week Tour Western Australia - tourwesternaustralia-lifeimagesbyjill.blogspot.com/

Some of you who come to my page regularly might know that photographing food has been a personal project of mine during 2011, so I thought I would put together a collage of some of the pics. Such a lot - so if you would like to see any of them in more detail, please go to my food file on Flickr - see the link below.

For those of you who have visited and encouraged me during the year with my food photography - a huge THANK YOU for your support. You have really helped my confidence and spurred me to continue, learn and grow.

A special thank you to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday where I have been able to join the amazing work of Mary and other photographers from around the world, Lindyannajones for inviting me to join Flickr at the beginning of 2011, to all my Flickr friends, to "Tartelette" for her truly inspiring book and food photography, and other foodies I have "met" and who have inspired me through blogland all over the world. Thank you all! I have learnt such a lot over the year. I have no idea where the food photography is taking me....it is a work in progress....ps - I am sure my husband wonders too!
thank you all!

Here is a "little" collage of some of my food photography this year. If you would like to see more please click on the link which will take you to my Flickr food page -  Jill's Flickr food page

Thank you to my new friends at South Side Quills. Thank you Jo for inviting me to join. I have learnt so much from all of you, and you have helped me grow and extend my writing. Our monthly group meetings are a highlight of my life.Thank you.

And thank you to "On the Road" and "Go Camping" magazines for publishing some of my articles this year. Writing has again this year taken us to a few places new to us, and I look forward to exploring more of my country in 2012.

Thank you to my wonderful family for putting up with my photography obsession! especially to my husband who is happy to drive me, carry my tripod when required, and stand patiently while I take another photo!  and my son who travels with us with good humour - well mostly!
Also my family and friends and all of you who have visited me here on my blog and on my Flickr page during 2011. Thank you for your support and encouragement and caring.

I look forward to your company in 2012, and I wish you and your families all a wonderful 2012.

I am linking up to Mosaic Monday. Thank you to Mary and the other wonderful contributors who make this site a joy. Click here to visit Mosaic Monday at Little Red House - Mosaic Monday

I look forward to hearing from you and sharing with you in 2012.