SuzeBlogz

practice makes perfect

Very busy following Susan Tuttles directions in her wonderful bible of a book, DIGITAL EXPRESSIONS.  The first 19 pages carefully explain where to find the Photoshop tools and how to use them. You refer BACK to those pages as you go through the projects.

Second technique in the book is 'Popping Areas of Color". She used pumpkins for her example. I found this picture taken by my friend Wendy Aikin when she was in a Massachusetts fishing town. It's a lesson in desaturating surrounding colors.

well...you better believe I'm not going anywhere without this book by my side !

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Then, I hopped over to a Photoshop website that very often emails free video tutorials. Today I picked up this handy, super simple tip on making just one color appear in a picture....something you often see on Valentines day with a black & white picture and a red rose.

 

 

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I also love the fun Photojojo website. They have these cool things to buy and I have become a tad obsessed. I bought this lens for my big SLR camera that is like a spy thing....you look like you're taking a picture right in front of you

but, in reality you're spying at whatever is to the right or left of you....tee hee

so The Lenster caught this one of me...not bad for a spy...cool depth of field ! and my neighbors think they are safe...ha ha...

*******Next up are some reminders*******

I am so excited that I'll be seeing lots of old friends AND NEW ONES at Donna Downeys INSPIRED event May 13-15 in Concord, North Carolina. I'll be doing a wax workshop which will be given to all 250 students.

 

and, don't forget...I'll also be doing a class in Corralitos, California  Sat, May 22nd at Wax Works West and you can register HERE.

I'm going to teach the wax and UTEE frame in a Melt Art Mania day

well...it's back to skyping with my favorite little guy...Hey Jared..whatz up !!

we'll cross that bridge.....

.....when we come to it

 

This little guy (or maybe it's a gal...who knows ?) followed me around the lake today. All I could think of was that swan dress Bjork wore back in 2001 to the Oscars...hmmm......is that one of your relatives fella????

 

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today a book I've been waiting ages for CAME ! Yea !!!!!

Had to start by trying one technique at a time.

First technique in the book is "Creating Vignettes with Color Fill Layers". I used an image I scanned from a magazine. Began with the image on the left.

One on right: after doing the simple project (using Photoshop Elements)

you MUST get Susans book. I took an online course from her last year and it was just wonderful. Plus...it comes with a CD of the elements in her book.

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You know by now I am never without a camera.....I stopped at the nursery to look at Lilac bushes and wound up instead taking closeups of flowers.

Here they are in collage

Makes me want to go & find beads in all those colors. Too many hobbies !

and then there were all the

  beautiful flower petals that were blown off the trees because of the wind today. Piles of pink wisps everywhere. This makes me remember NOT to leave the top down on my car !

OH....and more flowers

don't worry...I will NOT bore you all summer long with flower pictures. I'll get it out of my system now...!!!

BUT, speaking of taking pictures...this ought to inspire just about everyone 500 PHOTOGRAPHERS.

Here's what one photographer, Cara Barer, did with paper. You should visit the site daily.

I'm thinking carefully now about where I'll set MY sites today ....after sushi !

 

etc...and so forth

I am thoroughly loving the 'LIFE' series on Discovery network  and Mollie is too

 

yesterday I had to go to Motor Vehicle because I decided to buy my car (after having leased it for several years) so I had to turn in the leased plates. Toyota doesn't make this car any more (Solara convertible) and I love my car. This was traumatic because for the last 3 years I have referred to and called my car by it's license plate name

I called it VIVVY. If there were other cars in a parking lot that looked like mine, I could always find Vivvy.

 
NOW...I'm a ZIT....or is that a zitty...or am I baked Ziti.....doesn't matter..I'm not happy !

who the hell wants to be a ZIT ?? A ZIT by any other name is till a zit ??!!

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So, The Lenster picked up a copy of yesterdays local newspaper and discovered we'd become celebrities

I hate profile pictures but it was a kick, none the less. These were taken when we attended the "Tug Of War' tour that I mentioned in my blog the other day.

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Now..I have something really fun for you...from Claudine Hellmuth.

 

(this is a fun little cartoon painting I made of her using ToonPaint an app for the IPhone)

Claudine is NOT a sewer or a jewelry maker but she has a jewelry video project that is perfect for absolutely anyone & uses her sticky back canvas ! You must watch it.

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Speaking of jewelry.....Here's a pretty little jewel tone necklace and ring I made last night while watching American Idol

I filled the heart & ring with UTEE Brightz, Green Zinnia and Blue Iris

I think I'll wear it today cause heaven knows I don't have anything else sparkly enough to choose from !

Lets Talk Turkey

Well...there it was...crossing the road in front of my car just last night

don't worry...I didn't hurt it ! Seems there are lots of wild turkeys in and around the neighborhood..who knew ?!

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So, on Sunday we drove up to North Jersey (90 min) to have lunch with son Marc & his family and, as we were walking back to the car ....Oh My God...lo and behold...there it was...no, no..not another turkey....

A FABULOUS JEWELRY STORE...

Jess & Co.

37 Westwood Avenue, Westwood

I mean totally fabulous...Oh My God

This is one of the owners, Lillian

here's a sampling of the store

 

 

 

everyone walked out with something ! Alyssa, me and Patti were VERY happy campers !

 

NO duplicates...all one of a kind...all completely reasonably priced.

 

every section of the store arranged by color.

well...by now I could personally open a jewelry store just based on what I've made myself and/or bought from others...I am a little jewelry obsessed...this should be my biggest worry, huh??!!

OH...you thought I was done.....how silly of you...I have a serious disease

This morning I was invited to another home jewelry party...good friend...never say no..that would be rude....buy more...remember....last week my daughter had one too.....get me drugs

okay...look...I do not need another ring, bracelet or necklace for years to come....stop inviting me !

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After I was jewelryed out,  The Lenster and I went to a very interesting presentation on 'tolerance' within different cultures and dedicated to peace in the Middle East, called the "Tug of War" tour. Excellent presentation sponsored by our temple.

 

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and when that was over we headed to the local artsy theater where we took in the 2 hr, 30 min "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" movie from Sweden with English subtitles. It stayed totally true to the book (which I loved) and after just a few minutes you didn't even realize you were reading subtitles.

we've had a very full weekend...Now I'm about to catch The Tudors on Tivo

I can sleep later......

ya gotta luv friends....

Every year at this time I stop by the Monmouth Festival of the Arts to see the fantastic handmade juried art (which is also for sale). The show also hold demos and lectures.

I popped in last night on a demo given by Pat Surina, a jewelry designer.

Pats specialty is soldering, but definitely not the type we're used to seeing in the craft world. Pat works with a torch. Here is an example of her stunning, detailed filigree work.

She uses minuscule pieces of solder in her work . She even apologized that these, below for the demo,  were much bigger than she usually prefers ! Oh my !

Even the bracelets she was wearing are ones she's made with sterling silver wire and soldered and she showed us a good soldered join and a not so good one so we could learn to tell the difference.

Pat used silver solder in her demo but worked it on small copper pieces...less expensive than using real silver for demo purposes. She is meticulous in her detailed work. She got her first taste of this by taking classes at Brookdale College, but, for those who don't live in the central NJ area, you should obviously look into your local colleges for some good classes.

She explained how the metal must be completely clean. She usually 'pickles' it, but for this demo she sanded it thoroughly.

she added the 'Flux'.

FLUX sounds so intimidating, but the purpose of this product is simply to clean the two surfaces that will be joined together. She brushes it on.

she also showed what happens if you overheat silver solder...you don't want that molten orange flame color...unless you're like me who loves that burnt look !!

and she graciously allowed me to keep 3 of the demo pieces...which I hope to use in some type of altered project. I LOVE how the copper turned rusty !

her thin line of silver solder is barely visible. That's how precise she is.

then Pat demonstrated how to make your own head pins using silver and a torch

Fascinating !

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Then today....well...today was a blast . Some of the Art Opera 'girls' got together for lunch at the Raspberry Cafe in Ocean Grove for a laugh a minute afternoon.

Jenny Heid, Cheryl Figliola, Sandy Koterba, me, Lisa Kettell &Joan Kettell.

 

the weather started out great

then...the skies opened up and we got rain ! But.... we walked around historic Ocean Grove despite it.

 

and, we had cupcakes...because Jenny and Lisa wouldn't have it any other way !

Lisa came out of the rain looking like a nun...more good laughs. As she says....I'm Lisa Kettell and I approved this picture !

 
then we moved on to Point Pleasant Beach where we rummaged around an antique store and laughed our asses off...me, especially, when I found a good face statue and remembered I had mold n pour with me....

 

do I not say carry it with you at all times cause ya never know....??!! I'm praying the security cameras were not working or they'll be coming after me !!!

and Lisa shuffled through a few things

and found...old cards

and then...because we are all just a little nuts....we had this thing with 'the hat'

not to mention our little foray into the novelty store across the street

 

where they had these Japanese erasers...cool

6 grown ARTISTIC women all about 6 years old today !!!

what could possibly be better !!!

Beautiful Bodies

over the meadow and through the woods

or, more correctly, on the bridge over the Navesink river...a beautiful body of water. Took these shots right thru the car window.

 I took a ride back to Monmouth Antiques where we held our ART OPERA party last week...I had remembered seeing a really old torso that I kept thinking about...it dated back to the 1800's and was not in great condition - highly irrelevant ! To me...it was a beautiful body....

and I had something perfect in mind for it.

It has an adjustable height setting...great. It was destined to be an extra place to hang the ever growing collection of jewelry. The Lenster hasn't seen it yet....I set it all up this morning...so, whadd'ya think the reaction will be...

is this where I say "pray for me "! LOL

the evening was capped off with 8 more beautiful bodies ..those of my super good friends, many of whom have birthdays this month. We went out to celebrate. We laughed ourselves silly for 3 hours till they practically kicked us out !

great Italian dishes

Yes....I am one

but, MY birthday isn't until October...then we can do it all over again.

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes

The Lenster and I went with our friends Gail & Jerry to see a local (but professional) production of the rock opera RENT.

Our first time seeing it believe it or not. Just amazing.  In case you don't know the story of RENT It is about a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side in the thriving days of BohemianAlphabet City, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. It won a Tony award as best musical on Broadway.

jam packed audience

and, before the show began Kathleen Kirkpatrick got up to speak. She is the co-owner of The Life Cafe in the East Village in NYC, now in business for 25 years. In it's early stages Life was also a space for live performances, with frequent poetry readings, comedy and fashion shows featuring local artists.

It is a landmark in Manhattan as the place where writers go to work on their plays and books, and, the place where RENT began.

Jonathan Larson wrote most of RENT in Life Café, sipping coffee as he watched the inspiration for his memorable characters come and go. Larson even set one of the play’s most famous scenes in Life Café — when the characters dance on tabletops as they sing “La Vie Boheme.” Dedicated fans, known as “Rentheads,” now make pilgrimages to visit the birthplace of the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical.

Needless to say...we had a wonderful, wonderful time.

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Next morning - up bright & early and off to my daughter Jennifers' place. She was having some of her girlfriends over for a jewelry party...two of my favorite words...JEWELRY and PARTY...oh yeah...and food !!!

Jennifer, I swear, is NOT taller than me..okay I lied, maybe 2 inches taller...but today she had on super high platform shoes....I gotta get me some of those. Jen looks like her dad...and she even has his handyman gene...she can fix and do everything...very self sufficient ! A wonderful child !!! Guess you can tell...we're very close.

 

OMG....there were so many goodies to buy !

and Jen got LOTS of great goodies just for having the party and for the sales...good for her !

Weekends are great !

that's what friends are for

I am absolutely 'plotzing' !

I'll recap the story....

The Lenster and I went to a terrific rehearsal performance tonight given by The Hearts of New Jersey", a sweet adeline type choral group. They are preparing for competition and we got to hear them rehearse.

One of my friends, Esther, who sings with the group, also sings with me in synagogue.

and another of the gals who sings in the group, Ethel Smith (glasses, behind Esther)

went to Jr. HS and High School with me 50+ yrs ago.

I hadn't seen Ethel in umpteen years, but she knew I'd be coming tonight because FaceBook has sort of connected all of us in one round about way or another.

Ethel brought her Junior HS yearbook from 1958...that's 52 years ago....and there we were....I'm right in the front middle, 4th from left...holy crap !

if you remember...it was only last week that my brother Les and I went back there to 'see the old place'!

Yes boys and girls this was me....Susan Dorothy Miller

Puleeeeeze don't tell me I haven't changed or I look exactly the same except for the hair...I will come & smack you. I still have no shoulders....(where were shoulder pads in those days). I think they only thing we padded then were our bras !!!!

OKay,that ain't all....SEVERAL MIDWOOD H.S. graduates must also now live in the area because we somehow managed to find each other in the crowd

Miriam Metzger class of '59, Phyllis Solomon '54, Ethel Kunofsky Smith, Judy Halbert Gilbert, moi, (all class of '61) and Esther. Like old home week again !

what's even more incredible is that Phyllis Solomon is the daughter of Ben Chancy who was MY music teacher in High School. He passed away many years ago, but how 'b'sheret' (Hebrew for fated, meant to be) was THIS encounter. Phyllis is president of The Chancy Memorial Foundation which is dedicated to philanthropic projects in music, art and dance to challenged members of our communities.We'd never met before tonight but boy did we have plenty to talk about !!!

then we eat...of course !

I am so overjoyed....like the song says...oh what a night !!

and then I got home just in the nick of time to see my boy Adam Lambert on Idol and see two losers go home....OY...I'm a happy camper !

It's a budding relationship

Well, today was scrumptious outside. Beautiful temps & sunny skies. I went to 'visit' the buds in the backyard that we planted last year with bulbs I brought back from Holland.

 

and our trees are beginning to bloom as well

 

and Mollie says, all is right with the world

My other 'budding relationship' is with the Brandeis Womens Club in my development. I joined them a year ago. A wonderful social network of women who  hold terrific study groups and do great work for the funding of medical research.

Over 100 women came this morning for a Meet & Greet breakfast

 

& to hear the agenda for the coming season.

 I have given a few workshops for them and this year I will be co-teaching a Calligraphy workshop plus opening my house up (along with Lynn below) for a house tour. We each have very different and very eclectic homes.

all in all it was a 'berry' good day

the 6 million

 

Today our motorcycle group, The Hillel's Angels,

rode to Liberty State Park, (home to the Statue of Liberty), to hold a Yom Hashoah memorial service in memory of the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

While it has been over 60 years since that horrible time Jewish people live by the motto "Never Forget". And so, Yom Hashoah is also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day. We walk toward the memorial statue

It is of an American soldier carrying a Holocaust survivor.

 

In Hebrew we call this Zachor "to remember". In general, Yom Hashoah has been observed with candlelighting, speakers, poems, prayers, and singing. Often, six candles are lighted to represent the six million. Holocaust survivors speak about their experiences or share in the readings.

Our first small group met up on the New Jersey Turnpike rest area

and rode on to meet up with the rest of the club.

 

With the sun hitting just the right way you can see the shadow of the Statue of Liberty in the background.

 

You could see the Verazzano Narrows Bridge in the horizon

and the skyline of New York in the distance

we formed a semi-circle around the memorial statue and held a service. I sang the Eli Eli (My God My God, why has thou forsaken me). These are words familiar to both Christians and Jews.  And I chanted the El Mole Rachamim which is recited when the memory of the dead is recalled.

 

One of the single most touching moments of the day was when 14 year old Zach Reuveni spoke. He said he'd had a choice today to stay home and play X-Box or come with his dad on the ride of remembrance...he was so taken by the service because his moms parents are Holocaust survivors. Below, Zach, with his dads friend Ari Wallach.

Zachs dad Mike was in possession of a 1941 German passport The number on the passport coincided with the number the Germans tattooed on their arm.

another heart felt day spent with our friends