Pretty Pictures

I have started to enjoy taking pictures more and more the past couple of years. I am in no way, shape or form very good at it but I do like to explore the very small creative side of my brain and try to come up with some pretty pictures. I received Photoshop Elements version 6.0 a couple of years ago as a gift. I felt quite overwhelmed and didn't even know where to begin. So I put it off. Now two years later, I'm feeling a little more determined. Maybe because now I have the most beautiful and precious subject in the whole world, my sweet Lily. I looked into taking a class and I think that would be a really fun thing to do at some point but I have also recently found endless amounts of free tutorials online from wonderful people simply blogging their "how to's" of Photoshop. I have learned a few things but I still don't really feel like I completely get it. There are layers and masks and a billion other things to understand but it feels exciting to at least learn something and maybe little by little I'll get a better grasp of the big picture.

I wanted to learn how to make eyes "sparkle" so I googled, Photoshop Elements eyes and found some helpful information here. Here is a before and after of Lily using the techniques I found and a few other touches I added myself!

Before:

After:

Look at those eyes sparkle! I know what you are thinking, She really is the cutest baby in the world. Told you.

Gotta go! So much to learn and so little time!!

The Beard

Ladies, Gentlement, Friends and Countrymen: It's that time of year again. Yes it is. Every Winter and pretty much whenever he justs gets tired of shaving, Houston grows a beard. But this particular beard had been looming for quite some time now. It began taking it's shape some time last Summer and has hung around ever since. There had been a few trimmings now and then but lately the trimmings had stopped and it was getting a little out of hand. So when March 1st rolled around, I negotiated with my husband that Spring was coming and it was time to say goodbye to the beard. He was hesitant at first, his main reason being worried Lily would not recognize him. Awww so sweet. I coached him along that even if she seemed a little confused it wouldn't take long and she would be fine. So on March 1, 2010 Houston bravely said goodbye to his ever growing friend.

Sadly, I didn't even recognize him so I freaked out, took Lily and fled the country.

Okay not really. But, WOW what a difference! We got a few other pictures that I can't post without permission to do so. I'll see what I can do. We had some pretty good laughs. Houston has a little too much fun while shaving and comes out to show me the different "designs" he's come up with. But the best of all is the good ol' stache. Oh it cracks me up everytime. There is something about a stache that is hilarious and disgusting at the same time. I had the camera out and ready. We got to laughing and really got some good ones then. It's funny already but add Houston cracking up and you've got a doozy.

The next day when Houston got home from work, Lily and I were playing in the living room anxiously awaiting his arrival. Houston was anxious to see her and see if she would react at all. And she did! But it was so sweet. She was patting his face and touching his lips like she was discovering something new. She didn't act like she didn't know him at all. In fact she smiled at him even more and just kept looking at him and smiling. It was almost like she was saying, "Oh Dad, you shaved again" while she patted his face. It was a hit and Houston was beaming.

Moral of the story, Always listen to your wife.