You know how much I rave about Photoshop, how I love it and can’t live without it. So why would I care about free online photo editors? There’s even a free version of PS now that you can download, and if that doesn’t suit you there’s always Gimp, which is a free download.
So again, why care about online photo editors? What about when your computer is in the shop, or you’re traveling without a laptop, stopping into libraries to use their computers? You’ve taken lots of great pictures, and you’d like to send a few to some friends without sending the full-sized file that will make them hate you. You’d like to post some of your travel pictures to your blog, but the file size is too big, the picture needs cropped, the eyes have the dreaded red-eye…
You get the idea. There are good reasons to know about online photo editors! Here’s a great review on ExtremeTech by Michael Muchmore on five editors that go beyond the basics. Thank you, Michael!
Some people consider machine embroidery to be cheating. I don’t agree: using a sewing machine or dedicated embroidery machine is no different from using any other tool. In the hands of the right person, what it produces can be wearable art.
Threads Magazine has several online guides to help demystify machine embroidery. These helpful articles will help you figure out how to match your design and your fabric for best results, how to use stabilizers and hoops, and how to troubleshoot, and how to pick the best threads. These are very worthwhile reading or those who are either just getting started or just thinking about it!
I use photo images in so much of my work that my camera has become my most essential tool, as I shared with you on the Question of the Month post. Even when we went to Italy, I spent a certain amount of time just simply shooting things that would make interesting texture shots. Most of these are less interesting as compositions than they are in terms of how they can be used in the future: backgrounds or elements of a collage, a layer in a digital piece, warped and Photoshopped into something else…
Do you spend time shooting elements for later use too?
About Family Crafts
Check out these spotlight crafts… Make everything from a sccarecrow candy jar to a Beaded Safety Pin Bear.
About.com Cross Stitch
Connie has been feathering her stitching nest. Find out how she made her stitching spot work.
Aileen’s Musings
Aileen’s been having fun again creating another Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) project.
Cathie Filian
Halloween is just around the corner so fly on over to Cathie Filian’s blog for some spooky new ideas and frightfully fun projects.
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Work and play are in full fall swing this week at Craftside with news like the Crafty Chica giving away a space on her cruise, a job opportunity for a Marketing Specialist at The Quayside Publishing Group, Lisa Engelbrecht signing and demoing at Barnes & Noble, and of course two fun craft projects; a funky recycled denim purse with motorcycle gear handles and tiny needle felted pumpkins.
Crafty Princess Diaries
Flower power time! Tammy posts about a CFE over at CraftStylish for all your flower fanatics.
Stefanie Girard’s Sweater Surgery
See some pumpkins that are “carved” out of some cute sweaters and a classic saying in cross stitch.
The Impatient Blogger
What’s your brand? Madge shares some thoughts about branding and a new demo reel in this thought provoking post.
I shared with you about the Animoto site the other day. Well, I tried it out today, and even though the free videos are very short (only was able to include 6 of my 12 images), I am still very impressed with what they’re doing.
Looking like steel, but made of wood, this Seeker Robot is just adorable. Pete, of Builder’s Studio writes:
What once was lost, WILL be found. The sole programming of this robot is to seek whatever it’s current master commands … object, information, person … all other orders recinded!
But here’s what I really need…my own planet system! Love it!! I highly recommend a visit to Builder’s Studio etsy shop.
Or from any other images that you want to use! Animoto is an intriguing site: it creates a slideshow to the music of your choice, automatically. You have to register to use it, and I have no information to give you about copyright issues, so please read all the contracts if you decide to register and use it. Here’s a description from the site:
Animoto.com is a web application that creates MTV-style videos with the click of a button.
Users simply choose a song and images. Animoto then automatically generates a unique video for them. No two videos are ever the same.
Many of the post-production techniques that the founders used while working as producers for MTV, Comedy Central & ABC are used in Animoto’s patent-pending Cinematic Artificial Intelligence developed to think like an actual editor and director. The resulting video is produced in a widescreen format, containing the visual energy of a music video and the emotional impact of a movie trailer.
Animoto Productions is based in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
Beadwork editor Marlene Blessing writes, “I know plenty of you have been inspired by altered books (don’t let those collage artists have all the fun) and by stories (from trashy novels, to historical epics, to books of poems). Whether you alter an actual book, re-create a favorite character in literature, bead a page of text or just a favorite passage, bead a reader-and-book vignette, make a tiny library, or bead your favorite fantasy/sci-fi kingdom—or any other bookcentric concoction you can imagine—please share your passion for books and beads with us!”
Photos of the winning designs will be featured in Beadwork. The actual pieces will be on display at Bead Expo in Santa Fe (March 12–15, 2009) and Bead Fest Philadelphia (August 20–23, 2009).
For anyone who loves life and the people they share it with. Find advice, information, and observations on exciting beginnings and everyday journeys of families and relationships.
Recent Comments