New Computer Blues

Like everyone who goes through the process of switching from one computer to another, I’m in that lovely period of LOVE/HATE that goes along with it.  My computer was ‘not functioning properly’ any more—and so the poor thing was replaced.  I say ‘poor thing’ because it had been hit by lightning and rebuilt once, and multiple other things done with it to extend its life—but once it started losing data, that was it.  I was either replacing it while I still had my sanity, or picking up the pieces of it after I had thrown it out the window! 

Thank goodness for online back-up services!   I am not paid to say this, but I sure do love Carbonite!  Once I was up and running, all I had to do was tell it to restore my data, and slowly it’s coming back.  And if there’s a file I need before the process is complete, I can get to it on the server.  No lost data.  No lost pictures.  What can I say—it’s worry-free back-up and restore!

Now, along with other new things on this computer, I have Windows Live Writer.  How it will work now with Blogger, I don’t know, but it’s worth a try because it’s surely quicker to get to.  We shall see. 

"Spring"-ing back into action!

With all the warm weather we've been having in NW Ohio, it sure seems like Spring is here--even though it's the first of February!  It's been in the 50s for 2 days--definitely abnormal for winter here.

But it has given me the itch to be working on some floral images--and this poor hibiscus stamp has been in my collection for quite a while.  So long, in fact, that I have no idea who the manufacturer is.  But it jumped out at me on Monday and demanded to be put to use.  I don't think it had ever been inked before then.  I searched for some pictures of hibiscus, so I'd get the colors right, and while most of them are brighter, this lovely white and pale pink variety was just what I was looking for.



Copic info:  The background is BG0000 and BG000, and the leaves are YG11 overlaid with G82, G94, and G99.  The pale pink in the blossoms is R0000 and R000.  Then out came the greys!  I started with the W series (00 thru 4), then switched to the N series (1 thru 5) to deepen shadows.  I literally walked away from this image three times and then came back, until I had the shadows weaked just to where I wanted them.  I added a touch of the YG11 in the very center of the blossom, and some Y17 to the little balls of pollen.

I'd love to hear what you think of this--add a comment below!

COPIC CLASS INFORMATION

I will be teaching at The Scrapbook Korner (Archbold, Ohio) on February 11:
Copic 101--Beginner Class   9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Copic 102--Intermediate Class   12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

If you would like to sign up for either--or both--of these classes, contact The Scrapbook Korner for more details.