Lost Aussie on the loose

Thinking of The Things You Love

As this year draws to a close many (most) of us take time to reflect upon what has been, what we have wished for and what we hope for in the year going forward and also sparing moments to give thanks for what we have.

My thoughts include:
Two healthy and happy sons, embarking on university studies in Australia.
Another son far away serving in Afghanistan, with his wife waiting for him in Florida.
And yet another son making a new life for himself and his partner in Austin, Texas.

I wish for all of them safe travels and good journeys -for we are not a family that stays put!  We are seekers, adventurers and people who put themselves "out there".
I hope only that their travels and adventures are honest and forthright and giving to the best of their abilities.

As for me, in the coming year, I hope to look forward too.  Not inward as I have done this past year.  It's been difficult and not fantastic, and I could mourn the loss of time, things and stuff,  but I won't.  What is done is done and so I relish the thought of 2012 and the ideas I already have burning away and will (fingers crossed) bring to fruition.

I hope you will join me in looking forward, taking the time to appreciate those you love most, loving them unconditionally and spurring us all on to new and bright adventures in 2012.

A Little Time-Out

Popping in to say "Hello"!  I hope you all had a good Christmas time. I'm taking a few days to spend with the Family and do a little skiing. 
The snow has been rather thin on the ground this year, even in the mountains and we have been having to make do with mostly man made stuff - but hey, a good downhill buzz is just fab in my books, whether the snow is courtesy of nature or not.
... z  o  o  m  ... z  o  o  m ...

...see you in a bit  .....

Wishing You ...

My thanks to all my stalwart blog readers and visitors over the years.  It's hard to believe that I have been blogging here since 2005!

Some of you read and leave, others read and leave a comment, some of you are students and friends and others are family.
I value and cherish you all!!

As you ALL know I "love to photoshop" ...  and in that spirit there will be a new and exciting chapter opening for me in 2012.

So stay tuned for news on that score!

In the mean time, I wish you ALL the Happiest of Holidays and look forward to seeing you in the New Year and enjoying all the wonder that that will bring!

Simple Stories

 

Sometimes you have to watch something different - but the message is the same.

All Nutcrackery in New York

We were in the big Apple the other day touring the Christmas sights and looking at the lovely windows, scoping out the Christmas markets while #2 son caught up with friends from Australia.

It seems that half his class mates are over in the US at the moment! We even had two of them sleep over last night - treated them to the sights of Long Island, a little Ten Pin Bowling and then had to bring home Pizza from Victor's. 
(You've not "done" Long Island until you have eaten a slice of "their" pie!)

It's nice to have the house full.  The cats are even getting used to it.

I messed with these lovely Nutcrackers today while I was waiting for something to dry, bake or wash - you can download the STARRY CLIPPING MASK to use if you'd like.... a little holiday freebie!
(And don't worry, it looks weird on the download link, but it's a PNG file and will be just fine when you open it.)

I hope you are having as much fun getting ready for Christmas as I am!

 

A Little Decorating

Finally - the tree is up, cranberry candles lit, pointsettias appropriately dotted around the house and everything is looking all Christmassy at last.

I've even got most of my shopping done ....

Tra, la, la, la, la .......

Posting Over At Vision and Verb

I'm posting over at Vision and Verb today.  Won't you join me?

Snail Mail vs Email

I've actually managed to get the last of my "real" Christmas cards off in the post yesterday and now spent the morning cooking up an E-Greeting card to send via email.

I know it's quite snazzy having a mantlepiece adorned with postal offerings sent from afar, my visit to the Post Office yesterday left my wallet with a big hole in it.  More or less $1 to send a card to the UK, Europe or Australia, 80cents to Canada and 40 something cents for First Class US mail.

The upshot of that is, more of my lovely friends will have to content themselves with a digital offering, which they can of course, choose to print and stick on the mantle if they wish :-)

There won't be any less love sent ..... which ever way your greeting arrives!  Promise!

(and I sure as heck don't plan on cutting down on Friends!)

Jingle Some Icons

There's a wealth of free and fun stuff out on the internet with which to create art in Photoshop. You only have to do a Google search for whatever floats your boat (and has no licensing restrictions).

This time I have downloaded a bunch of free Christmas icons, defined a few of them as patterns in Photoshop and then played with my kaleidoscope filter to end up with something completely unique and different.

It's one of those fun pass-times that puts a smile on my face as I love each and every twist and turn of my tablet, and especially when I choose the minty green and rose red colors.  So yummy and seasonal.

Check out the cute trees I made HERE using the same icons.

Something Other Than Photos

Yesterday it poured with rain.  Inches of it.  The cats were twitterpated and apart from a quick trip to the store for milk, there was not much point in being outside.

So I took some time to do something other than just process photos and played a little with Photoshop.

The base of the image is constructed from three different photos, with plenty of texture and what-not thrown in ....

All the rain made me think of hunting for a cab in the City .... and that is what I ended up with ...