Mystic Pics

Digital Bliss: My Life In A Nutshell

2012-12-18T01:09:00.000-05:00

Moving Day

2011-08-19T12:45:00.001-04:00

I've moved! Things are getting really busy in the world of digital collage art, so I won't be maintaining 3 blogs anymore. I've decided to merge all my blogs into one so that I can share all aspects of my artful journey in one place.

I'll be giving away weekly digital collage freebies, posting nature pics and sharing my thoughts on all kinds of personal and art related topics.

I hope you'll join me there! (Click on the image above to go there now, and sign up to have my posts emailed)

Wishing you everyday bliss,

Sometimes You Just Gotta Smile...

2011-08-07T12:26:00.000-04:00

It gets too easy at times to complain about our lives and what makes us unhappy. You don't have to look too far to find something to be angry or sad about. But staying in that negativity will make life pass you by. The little things that make life beautiful will go unnoticed and before you know it, another season, another year, another lifetime will be over. I get stuck in that rut too at times. It's hard to pull myself out, but acceptance is the key. If I can't change people or situations, I just sit with the knowledge that I have a choice in how the rest of the story plays out. That surrender brings me peace and puts a smile on my face.

I hope you're having a wonderful Sunday.

A Glimpse of The Garden

2011-07-14T16:50:00.001-04:00

I often talk about my quiet lifestyle and the place where I spend most of my time. My garden has been a source of great joy and solace over the last five years, since we moved to this house. Alot has happened in this time and the garden has grown into a little piece of Heaven for us.

This is the first summer that we haven't needed to put forth much effort in it. Aside from the occasional weeding and adding a few potted annuals, we've been able to sit back and enjoy the scenery. So for my friends and family who haven't had a chance to see it this way, here's a little tour around my cherished backyard.

Herb box

Hummingbird feeders can be seen from
the dining room window. We have a pair of
these little guys hanging around, but not today

The bird bath is always in need of fresh water, it's a popular spot
for all our feathered friends

These roses remind me of my grandmother. She used to have
many bushes lining the far side of her house

Darren's vegetable garden

I sometimes see chickadees flying in and out of this feeder's nostrils

Dixie's path

Path leading to the composter and pet graveyard

Baby Blue, a new addition to the jay family

Woodpecker couple. Their little one was foraging on the ground
below but got spooked by the pigeons

Chippy No-Tail, born last Spring, and here to stay

Another juvenile jay, always close by and eager to be fed

This is just a glimpse of my favourite place. And even if pictures don't do it justice, I hope you enjoyed the tour :)

Desktop Background

2011-06-28T00:23:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I made a downloadable pic for you, so here's one from the garden. It looks really nice large, so you could set it as background on your computer.

Enjoy :)

Awestruck

2011-06-26T16:47:00.000-04:00

Even the daisies stand in awe before the ephemeral poppies....

Bees, Butterflies and Blooms

2011-06-26T15:22:00.001-04:00

The garden is buzzing with busy bugs right now. Here's a preview of who stopped by:

2011-06-26T02:25:00.000-04:00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Randomness

2011-06-12T13:54:00.001-04:00

Like a painter choosing his palette, I've chosen each plant's place in the garden. Each spring I wait with anticipation to see if they approve, or if they'll hold back for another year.

Still, the columbines trick me. They will not be told where to grow. Their seeds are blown around and carried by my many winged friends to create their own destiny. I like that.

Garden Pretties

2011-06-12T01:37:00.000-04:00

Chives

Clematis

Lilacs

Fuschia

Cornflower

Favourite Things: Old Stuff

2011-06-01T16:50:00.000-04:00

There's just something about old stuff that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...

Old doors, windows and floors...

Rusty metal...

Glass bottles and jars...

...and faucets and water pumps

I Dream In Digital (And Other Confessions Of A Hopeless Artist)

2011-05-16T16:24:00.002-04:00

As I sit here listening to the white-crowned sparrows singing and feeding just feet away from me, my mind wanders. I try my hardest to stay in the moment and enjoy the sights and sounds; no matter how hard I focus, my mind drifts towards images of digital art and the next project I want to start. Darn. Art got the best of me again.

Even in the garden, today, art is winning. Winning over sunshine, warm breezes, tasty iced tea and birds. And if truth be told, it has taken hold of my soul and shows no signs of letting go. If I could explain it, living with art goes something like this:

1) Every moment of every day is filled with images that have a life of their own and they stand in line in the recesses of your mind, waiting to be born.

2) You’re only really happy when you’re creating and even then, you wish you could be this happy doing everything else or that there was nothing else that needed doing so you could just make art.

3) Even in your happiest moments away from art, you catch glimpses of beauty so wonderful that it inspires yet another piece that you must now create.

4) You negotiate with yourself ways to get all else out of the way so that you can get back to your art as soon as possible, but ultimately other parts of your life lose that battle (especially housework).

5) Even when you have a huge repertoire of artwork, you still feel compelled to create more because the images keep coming into your mind, even in dreams at night.

6) You never really feel that a piece is finished, so you must intuitively abandon it a point in time and hope it’s the right time.

7) You actually work longer hours at something that, for a long while doesn’t even come close to giving you an income like a day job that would slowly squeeze the life out of your soul, but for some reason you never tire of it.

8) You live and breathe art, every moment and it makes you happy and sad all at once but you will never look back on this path with regret.

9) Recognition, praise or glory are not what drive you to live this life of seclusion and wasted guilt. There’s no glamour. You create because it’s your purpose and that silent knowing keeps you going.

As quickly as my mind left this perfect moment to confess what art is for me, I’m brought back by a sound from above. I sip my cold drink and catch myself smiling. My laptop comes out of sleep mode and the desktop wallpaper is one of my winter pictures (and I wander off again and think to myself ‘I really must update this picture, or touch it up, or...’). Sigh. Overhead, an eagle soars and with it, my heart.

My Favourite Things: Trees

2011-05-03T09:15:00.001-04:00

Nature is truly breathtaking. If I had to choose a favourite thing that I love most in nature, it would be tough to pick just one. Everything moves me and makes time stand still. Since I have many favourites, I begin a journal of favourite things, with trees.

I love trees that make flowers,

And trees that make homes.

Trees with red leaves,

And trees with buds soft as kittens.

I love pieces of trees found floating or beached.

I even love trees that aren't really trees, but are taller than me.

But I think most of all, I love old trees. The ones that leaves

have long forgotten.

With gnarly, knotted limbs, tall and stark, majestic.

Even though life is leaving them, they do not leave us.

They change form but stay long after they've had their last breath,

sentinels of the forest and the wildlife within.

Spring Has Sprung...Indoors Anyways...

2011-04-21T10:28:00.000-04:00

While the snow still falls outside, Spring has arrived in our seed trays. We've started a few pepper and tomato plants, hoping to get a head start on the vegetable garden. The sprouts are a welcome sight after a long winter that lingers. At this point, I can't tell the tomatoes apart from the peppers, but the pots are marked so that we can keep track of what's what. I enjoy watching them grow daily, and lean into the sunlight at is moves from east to west throughout the day.

Have a very Happy Easter and a wonderful Spring season :)

Sneak Peak At My New Vintage Reproduction Prints

2011-03-04T13:04:00.000-05:00

Here's just a sampling of the latest addition to my fine art prints collection. They are reproduction vintage French posters (circa 1890's). These restored prints are available in a wide range of sizes.

You can see more like these on my website.

Baby, It's Cold Outside...

2011-02-17T13:15:00.001-05:00

In the winter, I don't spend as much time outdoors taking pictures. The landscape is beautiful, but I've never been crazy about the cold so I just don't have the desire to spend countless hours outside trying to capture the perfect shot while my hands are struggling to press the shutter button. Instead, I prefer to focus my energy on other artistic projects in the comfort of my office.

While hibernating for these past few months, I've created several new mixed media designs for crafting/scrapbooking. I've acquired a small collection of vintage ephemera such as old postcards, book pages, sheet music and such. With the help of my scanner and Photoshop, I've created collage sheets, background pages and wall art.

These are excellent for all kinds of projects such as decoupage, scrapbook pages, gift tags, tile pendants, wall art, etc. Here are a few of my designs:

A Full Page Scripture and Sheet Music Background

Collage Background of Vintage Postcards

Set of 4 Full Page Background Sheets

Set No.2 From Blue and Pink Collection

Children's Illustrations Collage Sheets

Vintage Christmas Postcards Collage Sheet

8x10 Vintage Illustration Wall Art

Vintage 8x8 Children's Illustrations Set of 3 Wall Art

These items (and many more) are on sale in my Artfire store and on Etsy. They are digital purchases so you don't pay any shipping because the jpeg and pdf files are emailed to you. Crafters love these types of items because they are inexpensive and they can print them over and over again for use in multiple projects. They also look great framed on the wall.

As much as I miss the opportunity to get out in nature with the camera, these projects are alot of fun and a great way to share and revive some amazing vintage art from the past. I'm constantly adding new items, so check back often in my stores.

You may have noticed that I've cut my blog posts back to about one per month; like most people, time gets away from me and I have to make cuts in some areas in order to gain in others. I do enjoy keeping you updated on the major happenings in my artsy little world, so I'll show up regularly to let you know what's new. I appreciate you reading :)

Beauty Beneath A Blanket Of Snow...

2011-01-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

Winter is not a favourite season for many of us. But when I take a stroll to the backyard and see life lingering beneath all the snow, I can't help but smile and appreciate the seen and unseen beauty there.

Here's a desktop background that I hope will brighten your day. The cold season is long, but as with all things, it comes and goes and warmer days will find us again...

Yet Another Bird Love Story :)

2011-01-06T14:54:00.000-05:00

**This one is dedicated to a close friend who is DEFINITELY not a bird watcher, but who appreciates my love of these little creatures (yes, my dear, you know who you are - I'll make a bird watcher out of you yet J

Being bird lovers, my hubby and I are always looking for ways to bring our feathered friends to the backyard. We really love having them around and watching how they interact and react to our presence as well.

This Winter, we have a family of pileated woodpeckers who visit almost daily. Sometimes they announce their arrival with their loud call, while other times they arrive very quietly. They don’t seemed bothered by us when we’re back there, but that’s probably because it’s winter and we’re not outside as much. We enjoy watching them from the dining room window, or from the upstairs office (in fact, two of them are out there right now as I’m writing this post).

They keep coming back because we’ve provided a very nice feeding station for them. The idea came from a gardening magazine and wasn’t originally intended for that particular type of bird, but is really well suited for them. All our birds (and squirrels) love it.

Here’s what we did: hubby brought home a small fallen cedar tree from an wooded area he worked in. He fastened it to a metal pole driven into the ground before the frost hits.

We then drilled holes along the entire length of the post. These needed to be big enough to insert a homemade seed mixture into. The mixture consists of mixed birdseeds and peanut butter to hold it together. We spoon it into the holes. We have to refill the post every week just to keep up with the traffic.

Occasionally, the woodpeckers try the suet feeder on the oak tree, but they seem awkward trying to pick at it, since they’re so big!

Here's why we feed them and love them so much…

Can you really blame us?

Wishes For Happiness And Bliss

2010-12-30T11:58:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year. Christmas has quickly passed, and the year 2010 is over. Ahead lies new opportunities for cherishing those we love and living every moment fully. I hope you take every chance to slow the quick pace of the world and embrace 'nothingness' once in a while. It is the most healing thing you could do for yourself and those around you.

We all have many responsibilities and obligations, but happiness doesn't lie in meeting deadlines and accomplishing great feats. It is found in the quiet, restful moments sprinkled here and there amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It's in the time spent with friends and family, the walks out in nature, and the tender moments with our children and spouses. True bliss isn't about what you do, but how you do it.

So this year, my wish for you is to be happy all of your wakened moments. May you find peace within while the world rushes around you and may bliss be yours in all that you do.

Be well in 2011,

Tips For Taking (And Sharing) Great Christmas Pictures

2010-12-08T13:10:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a very special time of year. The joyous moments shared with family and friends are the kind you cherish forever.

The latest cameras on the market allow you to capture these moments, but using the automatic settings doesn’t necessarily guarantee a perfect shot everytime. Whether you have an expensive DSLR or a point and shoot, you may sometimes wonder why your images don’t come out quite as nice as you’d hoped. The following are tips that I picked up over the years and could help you take Christmas pics you’ll want to share with everyone, including your Facebook friends.

1. First, I want to talk about automatic flash and the drawbacks of keeping your camera set on this feature. I know we all hear that indoor shots should be taken with a flash, but I disagree. I have an aversion to flash photography myself, so I don’t often use it. One reason is that the flash washes out colours and faces, and often shows up in windows and mirrors in the shot. Flash photos don’t look as natural, plain and simple. So for daytime pictures, I rely on natural lighting. If the picture comes out a little darker than you like, you can adjust the brightness level in your photo editor afterwards. For evening pictures with indoor lights, you can also increase your ISO setting from the typical 200 to 400 or more, which will allow more light into the camera and brighten the shot without a flash. This could make the image grainier though, depending on the quality of your camera. I still prefer this method instead of using the flash; if you choose flash, you might want to set your camera on a tripod to reduce blur from camera shake.

Here's a photo taken with flash:

Here's the same subject in natural lighting

and brightness adjusted in a photo editor program:

2. Another tip I learned is that action shots are much more interesting than typical portraits. So on Christmas morning when the kids are opening gifts, take snapshots of their facial expressions as they rip the paper and get the first look at the present inside. These are really fun to look at, and they capture the moments as they happen; portraits of the family all lined up on the couch just don’t have the same feel. For action shots of family members laughing at the Christmas dinner table, or hugging at the door when they arrive, turn the dial on your camera to the ‘action’ or ‘sports’ setting. These shots will come out clear in spite of the fact that the subjects are moving. With this setting, you can usually hold the shutter button down and it will take several pictures continuously, giving you a few to choose from afterwards. Also, don’t be shy about zooming in as close to faces as possible. Close-ups capture the emotions in a way distant portraits cannot.

Here's an example of a distant 'portrait' style photo

(I had no live subjects at the time):

This is a closeup of the tree, capturing the details

and colours more vividly (shot in action mode):

3. Another aspect of a great Christmas picture is position. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try your shots from different angles. You don’t need to be right in front of the subject and the subject doesn’t have to be in the centre of the picture. In fact, the rule of thirds discourages this. If you picture a tic-tac-toe grid on your viewfinder (some cameras have the grid built in), compose your shot with the main subjects lined up with the lines of the grid; this way, your subject is slightly off to the side. Similarly, position yourself above a subject or down low, to make the shot even more interesting. Try tilting the camera slightly as well. You’ll be surprised at the effect these position changes create.

A front-facing, centred photo:

The same subject, captured at an angle

and using the 'rule of thirds':

4. Finally, I just want to touch on a few more aspects of great picture taking:

If you’re going to upload your images to sites such as Facebook, adjust the setting on your camera to the smallest image size. The smaller the image, the more your memory card can store and the faster it will upload. Typical size on most cameras include Large (12Megapixels), Medium(6.4) and Small (3).

Once you upload the photos to your computer, delete the blurry or really bad ones immediately, right from Windows Live Gallery or your picture editor. This save time looking for the good ones to edit later.

The first thing I do with my snapshots in my photo editor is use the ‘smart fix’ or ‘adjust levels’ feature. This first step is especially good to brighten or darken images. Bear in mind though that this is not always necessary. And sometimes, it actually makes the image look worse. Only use it on images you think need improvement. If you know your way around the photo editor, you can tweak the levels more precisely if you wish.

Once you’re happy with the picture and you’re ready to save it, give it a new file name, one that you’ll recognize. This way, when you’re ready to upload, your search for the pictures on your computer will be much quicker.

Christmas photos are fun, especially when you can share them. If you’re looking to improve on your photo skills, I hope these tips find their way into your Christmas pictures this year and that you’ll show them off on Facebook. I’d love to see them!

Home For Christmas...

2010-12-02T13:55:00.003-05:00

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~ Norman Vincent Peal

Less Is More This Christmas

2010-11-25T14:08:00.001-05:00

With the Holiday Season fast approaching, we’re being bombarded once again with advertisements on television, the internet and everywhere, telling us to buy this or that to make our loved ones happy. We’re being encouraged to be all things to everyone and spend, spend, spend…

I know this will sound cliché, but that’s not what the Christmas season is about. We all know this and yet every year, we let the stress of the shopping, baking, spending, eating, and dieting get to us and vow to do better (as in less) the following year. And of course the following Holiday Season comes along, and we get sucked in. Does this sound like you?

I used to let it all get to me as well. I wanted so much to please everyone and to make sure everything was perfect. But there’s nothing like a little reality check to make you stop the madness and do LESS.

The last few years have brought about some changes in our home, financially and otherwise. After I stopped working, I had no choice but to slow down and really look at what matters. The money just wasn’t there to buy expensive Christmas gifts, and physically, I wasn’t able to do as much with the festive decorating as I used to.

But guess what? Christmas came and went, just like it does every year, and it was wonderful and memorable, the way it should be. We were with family and friends. We shared memories, laughs and good food.

This whole ‘less is more’ concept gets lost on many people. It’s not only important during Christmas time, it’s a way of life that should be adopted year round. For one thing, it takes away a lot of stress when you choose to simplify your life and let go of the need to be or do too much. It also gives your children a powerful message about not buying into the insanity of acquiring material things.

So this Christmas is going to be another simple but happy one for us. I have no intention of mingling with the stressed out crowds in the malls and department stores or making my home look like a Norman Rockwell painting. I'm not going to spend money I don't have, waste energy on things that aren't important, or worry about what others think. I’ll leave that to those who think they should still do MORE… ;)

Another Wallpaper For You...

2010-11-24T12:36:00.000-05:00

This photo was taken just a few weeks ago in the garden. It's the seedhead of a clematis flower once the petals have gone. I love the clematis vine because it looks beautiful all year round, at all stages of growth. The wispy strands here remind me of bird and angel feathers...

Feel free to save it as a desktop background :)

'Reflections'- A Collection Of Thoughts

2010-11-16T13:48:00.000-05:00

I named this collection 'Reflections' because of the phrases that entered my mind while I was photographing. Sometimes when I'm taking pictures this happens. Thoughts, words or emotions emerge with each new photo I take. So, I thought it would be fun to finally combine the two.

These prints are all available in my Etsy shoppe.

Through The Viewfinder-A New Twist On Vintage Photography

2010-11-12T16:35:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I decided to buy a vintage 1950's camera. I had heard that some photography enthusiasts were using these old classics to give photographs a vintage feel. This technique is known as Ttv, which stands for 'through the viewfinder'. I found an Argus Argoflex Super Seventy-Five to try it out.

How does Ttv work? The technique involves taking a picture with your DSLR camera through the viewfinder of the old one. It takes a little getting used to at first because of the position of the camera. These are the type you look down into, so you're DSLR is pointing toward the floor, into the top of the old camera while you're shooting.

What’s also really cool are the effects the process produces. Not only are the photos square with rounded dark edges, the lenses are usually very dirty and scratched so you get a real nice vintage look to the digital image.

Here’s a photo of a grouping of glass bottles taken with my DSLR alone...

…and here’s one through the viewfinder of my Argus

I'm really pleased with the results. As much as I love digital artistic effects, using vintage equipment gives the images an aged, authentic appearance. I plan to create an entire collection of Ttv photography for vintage art lovers.

A few more pics that I took using Ttv: