Hello from Crete, I’ll be back in La Belle France tomorrow evening, but I just wanted to start your month off with a smile and May’s free wallpaper download : )

Hiya folks and a Happy Easter!

Just wanted to let you know I’ll not be around for a good week since we’re off tomorrow on an adventure to discover Crete.

As you can see, I’ve had a bit of a snafu (almost cancelled the tickets), but we’re going and I’ll be a brave girl (how can I say “no” to Crete?). I’ll be bringing along my camera for sure but no laptop, and so no on-the-road updates. Please make sure to stay tuned the first few days of May.

Hope you’re all having a great weekend and “a bientot”!

Andree

Finally getting back on track with “Texture Tuesday” – whew! I made the above diptych for my “52 of Twenty Eleven” group on Flickr. It’s a weekly challenge which I’ve integrated into my 365, please don’t miss out and see how far I’ve come! Check it out at 365 :: On Linden Way

So back to textures: In the past I’ve used textures to create a “painterly” effect, such as here and here. I still like that effect, but I am trying to achieve other effects, more subtle. In this example with the lilac photo (bottom half) I used “Favorite Apron” from CoffeeShop Blogs’ “Baking with Mom” set. In fact I used it twice (two layers) – one in Multiply @100% and Soft Light @100% with some “reveal all” layer masks to bring out the green leaves with the insects on them. If you’ve not yet discovered the uber-talented Rita of CoffeeShop blog, then you’re missing out. She offers the most beautiful PS Actions, Textures and a whole bunch of other goodies.

Hope you enjoy.

So here is the SOOC:

My mom sent this to me today via email. I’ve seen it before, but it was exactly the extra little “push” I needed to get out of the semi-rut I’ve been in. What are some of the ways you stay on track and inspired?

We’ve been bathing in gorgeous Spring sunshine the past week, making it easier to “forget” Senegal until next year.

Yesterday we went for a walk to check out a house we heard may be on the market. It has lots of French charm and loads of work to go with the “charm”! In anycase, the barn with its unkempt wisteria has the cutest door, don’t you think?

Greetings Friends,

I can’t believe it, but I am actually writing from my “home”! Yes, we finally got the phone line hooked up and the internet working.

So, I wanted to let you know that you can head over to the downloads page here or to my Flickr stream to find the new April Wallpaper.

Hope you enjoy it and thanks for staying in touch.

Today last year was one of the most amazing days of my life. We drove into the Okavango Delta in Botswana, sort of ‘lost” our way and nearly ended up stranded in water and mud, out in the wild. Luckily Gerrit, our driver knew what he was doing, and we were lucky!

We pitched camp, made a fire and ate quietly. Off to bed early to the sounds of the animals: hippos, hyenas, cats….nothing beats this!

The next day we left the Delta and headed back to South Africa, where we stayed at the Heia Safari Lodge outside of Joburg. Highly recommend the place – the zebras drink from the pool and giraffes and various types of “antelopes” run wild. A wonderful cross over back into the “real” world.

SOOC:

Sometimes what I like to do with textures is not totally modify the look and feel of the image, but to use textures just to give depth. I think this one worked out well!

From Flypaper Textures, top to bottom:

Orient Express @ OL 83%
Burnished Clay @ Multiply 62% and Reveal All Layer Mask
White Shagren @ Soft Light 100% and Reveal All Layer Mask

I know what a lucky girl I am (really). So in this spirit when I was going thru my photos from today last year, I had the pleasant memory that I was at a very special place: Elephant Sands Camp in Botswana. It was the second day of our big African tour last year and we spent a few nights at this really cool and low-key camp, where the elephants are wild and in the evenings walk thru the camp grounds to drink out of the swimming pool. I was astounded by how huge they are being so up close. At one point we had gone back to the 4×4 to brush our teeth when the elephants arrived to drink. They were walking thru the camp and we had to walk calmly from one tree to another, staying still as they strolled by us close enough to touch! They meander amongst the camping vehicles, with super light feet even managing to avoid tent lines. Amazing.

We had ended the day with ultra-light flights above the area, a really neat and sort of scary sensation, but the closest I’ve felt to flying.

The next morning we packed up the truck and tents, heading for the Zambezi River and the Great Victoria Falls!

If you ever need some addresses or tips on the area, I’d be happy to share my address book!