tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37060992024-03-23T11:13:55.000-07:00Pink Cereal and RaspberriesSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.comBlogger836125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-56528088967068888732014-04-13T14:22:00.003-07:002014-04-13T14:26:53.660-07:00For Such a Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I get to choose the books I review for Bethany House, and this month I was hungry for fiction actually meant for adults. I read oodles and oodles of young adult fiction, but every so often, I need something with a protagonist older than fifteen.<br />
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Enter <i>For Such a Time</i> by Kate Breslin. Stella Muller, or so her papers declare her name, wakes to find not the terrors of Dachau, but home of a resentful older woman. Soon after, a solidly built Nazi Kommandant arrives to take her with him to Theresienstadt. According to her false papers, Stella was the secretary to the Kommandant's brother, and he believes that she was placed in Dachau by mistake. Stella lives in fear of the discovery of her true identity and also fears she will never reunite with her beloved Uncle Morty, the man who raised her after the death of her parents and who arranged for her false papers. While Stella walks a fine line between safety and guilt, Kommandant Aric von Schimdt begins to realize that all he held true in his life as a German officer is not as he once believed and wonders if a life with Stella would bring him peace.<br />
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True history buffs will find many false facts, but Ms. Breslin owns up to those in an author's note at the end of the book. The plot itself essentially sets the Book of Esther in the midst World War II. Readers looking for a touch of history blended with a big helping of hope will enjoy <i>For Such a Time</i>.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-71695446487693015322013-12-04T21:56:00.001-08:002013-12-04T21:56:50.867-08:00Book Review: 10 Great Dates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once again, I received a book to review for Bethany House. This time, I selected <i>10 Great Dates: Connecting Faith, Love, & Marriage</i> by Peter and Heather Larson and David and Claudia Arp. <br />
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In this review program, I get to choose what I want to review, and I have been, whether I realized it or not, looking for a way for my husband and I to connect with each other and spiritually.<br />
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After a perusal and after running the idea by my husband, I am excited to report that we plan to go through the 10 Great Dates process together. In this version of the 10 Great Dates series, couples go through a ten week series of conversations including Connecting Faith and Love, Getting Into the Word, and Making Your Marriage a Lighthouse. The idea is that both partners read and reflect independently, then come back together to share and discuss.<br />
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The book is well organized and includes two tear-out copies of each of the dates. <br />
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I'm excited to get started going through this book with my husband and to have dates where we get to talk about God, our life, and our love, all rolled into one.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-88359925771058010782013-10-01T11:22:00.000-07:002013-10-01T11:22:50.484-07:00Book Review: DragonwitchOver the summer, I was craving more writing opportunities and stumbled upon Bethany House Publishers Book Review Program. Each month, they send out a list of titles, and writers can request a free copy of the book for review.<br />
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My first book for review, <i>Dragonwitch</i>, arrived just a few weeks later. I had been seeking new fantasy titles, and this one, by <a href="http://anneelisabethstengl.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Anne Elisabeth Stengl</a>, struck my fancy. The Lord of Gaheris is on his deathbed, and arrangements are quickly made for his would-be heir, Alistair to marry Lady Leta, a young woman who has long expected to be handed over in marriage without much say in the matter. Lady Leta wanders the castle walls, rarely seeing her betrothed and meets The Chronicler, a dwarf who heads up the castle's library. Leta finds something of a home in the library, and The Chronicler agrees to secretly teach her how to read. All of these relationships, from cold Alistair to the bookish Chronicler, prove immensely important as the death of Lord Gaheris sets into motion a series of prophecies long since turned into children's stories.<br />
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Rich with dragons, faeries, goblins, and more, Stengl's book weaves an interesting tale. That said, it took me far longer than I anticipated to get into the book and into the rhythm of storytelling. I started and stopped the book numerous times over the course of several weeks, and normally, I can devour a book in just a few days. Perhaps I should have read one of Stengl's other books in her <i>Tales of Goldstone Wood</i> series first, and that is what I would recommend to other readers. The fantasy story is told well-enough, but readers need more background to truly appreciate the tale. Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-60975039936163335612013-07-26T17:06:00.001-07:002013-07-26T17:06:24.527-07:00Fun Summer Sides!<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">My cooking time shrank considerably when my son started walking, and I needed to devise what I call "Mom Meals" (find more Mom Meals </span><a href="http://rebalala.blogspot.com/search/label/mom%20meals" style="background-color: white; color: #0062a6; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">). In my quest for the simplest meals, I also discovered some simple, kid and crowd friendly sides. These sides flow well into our summer lifestyle, with less time overall spent in the kitchen, and more time spent talking and playing with friends and family. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><a href="http://acowboyswife.com/kentucky-biscuits/" style="background-color: white; color: #0062a6; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="">Kentucky Biscuits</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> - I found these simple and delicious biscuits on </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/sarahkpix/yum/" style="background-color: white; color: #0062a6; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> and have made them several times. The recipe doubles easily, the biscuits taste great as leftovers, and, the best part, I can prepare the entire recipe with a baby on my hip (I just need help to slip the biscuits into the oven). </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><a href="http://rebalala.blogspot.com/2013/06/mom-meals-lamb-chops-and-seasoned-kale.html" style="background-color: white; color: #0062a6; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="">Seasoned Kale</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> - I paired the kale with lamb chops, but this savory side would fit nicely alongside ribs, burgers, or other summer meals. We grew a full crop of kale this year and needed ideas beyond kale chips and smoothies. A friend recommended this side, which includes pine nuts, garlic, and dried fruit, and I would make it again. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><a href="http://rebalala.blogspot.com/2012/08/mom-meals-grilled-zucchini.html" style="background-color: white; color: #0062a6; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="">Grilled Zucchini</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> - Many urban farmers find themselves with too many zucchini. While I do love a good chocolate zucchini bread, I find that this simple grilled zucchini satisfies all of my guests. This is another side that fits my requirements of being fast and simple. I can do the prep, and someone else can do the grilling. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><a href="http://naturalnoshing.wordpress.com/2011/7/18/crispy-sweet-potato-fries/" style="background-color: white; color: #0062a6; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="">Sweet Potato Fries</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> - We belong to a CSA, and we get many, many sweet potatoes. In the summer, I do not crave a baked potato, really anything in the potato casserole family. Sweet potato fries, however, offer an appealing alternative. I skipped the soak in water recommended in the recipe, just to shorten the prep time, and the fries were still crispy and delicious. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">All of these sides help me get through an abundance of produce </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">and</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> enjoy my time with family and friends. </span><br />
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<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-72415593011131067512013-06-21T12:41:00.001-07:002013-06-21T12:48:59.163-07:00Mom Meals: Lamb Chops and Seasoned Kale<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lamb chops may not come to mind first when thinking of family meals, but at $14.50 for six on sale at my favorite local warehouse store, I couldn't pass up these tasty treats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have not always liked lamb. I went through a (years-long) phase where I didn't want to eat anything that could be used for another purpose without killing it. Lambs have wool. Done. Then I tasted a properly cooked lamb chop, and while I still would rather not eat lamb all the time, I will do so when the need arises.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I searched Epicurious for lamb recipes and landed on something I thought would be perfect, until I looked at it again an hour and a half before dinner and found that the sauce alone would take two hours. Oops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I did another search and came across this <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Guinness-Glazed-Lamb-Chops-388794" target="_blank">gem</a>. Guinness Glazed Lamb Chops...oh my. We had some Guinness left from St. Patrick's Day (I know, that's a crime in itself), and I wanted to put it to good use. The real beauty of this recipe is the time it took to prepare - 25 minutes for the sauce, approx. 15 minutes to cook the lamb, and 15 minutes for the kale (which can cook at the same time as the lamb). My son played in the yard while my husband watered, allowing me time to play with ingredients and hot bubbly things on the stove.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's the recipe, with some tweaks:</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Guinness Glazed Lamb Chops</span></u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups (16 ounces) Guinness stout -</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I used a single bottle of Guinness, about 11.5 ounces, and that was perfect.</b></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup packed light brown sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed -</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I added in tarragon, as well.</b></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">16 rib lamb chops -</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I had 6 lamb chops, and that worked well with the single bottle of Guinness</b></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bring stout, sugar, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 2–quart nonreactive saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then continue boiling (keep an eye on it and reduce heat to keep it from boiling over) until glaze is syrupy and reduced to about 1/2 cup, 20 to 30 minutes. <b>For me this took 25 minutes exactly.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Preheat broiler.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pat chops dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brush both sides of chops with glaze, using about half of your prepared glaze, and arrange on rack of a broiler pan.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Broil 5 inches from heat, 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium rare. <b>I cooked for a total of 13 minutes, and these turned out just right.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Transfer chops to a platter and drizzle with reserved glaze.</span></li>
</ol>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Seasoned Kale</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We have a wealth of beautiful kale in our garden, and only by sharing some did I learn about this yummy combination.</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Twelve good-size kale leaves </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Garlic </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 cup pine nuts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 cup yellow raisins (I used the Golden Berry Blend from Trader Joe's)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lots of olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
</ul>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Put a nice layer of olive oil in a frying pan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add garlic </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After oil is hot, add chopped kale and salt and pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wait a few minutes, then add pine nuts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the raisins towards the end of cooking</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The whole process to get the kale to the right texture takes about fifteen minutes - <i>just about as long as it takes for the lamb chops to cook</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-77591050506323730762013-06-12T11:33:00.001-07:002013-06-12T11:34:07.144-07:00Summer!At long last, summer has arrived, and with it, the desire to start writing again. I will hopefully also return to adding some tried and true recipes, although I must admit that Pinterest stole my interest when it comes to posting <a href="http://pinterest.com/sarahkpix/repeat-recipes/" target="_blank">favorite recipes</a>.<br />
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Each evening, T asks me what I plan to do with myself the next day. He has an, not unreasonable, fear that I will grow bored and, later, take this boredom out on him. With an energetic dog and toddler on my hands this summer, though, I think the boredom will stay away from me. <br />
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I also have finally accepted that developing my skills and talents takes time. When I encounter a talented person, it always seems that their talents come naturally, and I get a little (okay, a lot) jealous, and I just want to be naturally good at something. For the past couple of years, I felt like I wasn't making any progress with my hobbies. And then, suddenly, the doors opened. I sat down and thought about the "suddenly," and I realized that I had been making slow, steady progress that finally added up to something real. In the past few months, I have started to run faster, take (and edit) better photos, write better fiction and even get paid (a bit) for some articles. I feel motivated now to keep moving forward. <br />
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Each evening, when T asks me what I plan to do with myself the next day, I have an answer, and it usually involves a bit of each of my favorite hobbies: running, writing, and taking pictures. <br />
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Here's to summer and improving ourselves bit by bit.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-71500757087327459692012-10-20T20:42:00.000-07:002012-10-20T20:42:18.280-07:00Mom Meals: No-Knead Bread<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a hectic few weeks, and adding a camera into the mix at dinner time seemed a bit more than I could handle. Then, I remembered one of my favorite additions to a meal, homemade bread! I have made <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2006/11/one-for-the-sling-files/" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen's No-Knead Bread</a> numerous times over the years. It makes a fantastic addition to any meal, or a starting point for some meals like the one I made that included this bread, cream cheese, and smoked salmon as the main course. The bread also works well when you add in yummy, flavorful bits like garlic cloves, cheddar cheese, and more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best feature of this bread is that it works as a multi-step process over a couple of days.</span></div>
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<strong style="color: #222222; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 14.5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No-Knead Bread</span></strong></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 14.5px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adapted from Jim Lahey at the Sullivan Street Bakery via <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html" style="color: #656a7b; text-decoration: initial;">Mark Bittman at New York Times</a> by Smitten Kitchen</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yields one 1 1/2 pound loaf</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting<br />1/4 teaspoon instant yeast<br />1 1/4 teaspoons salt<br />Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450°F. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-57010137962152355572012-08-19T21:23:00.003-07:002012-08-19T21:23:26.424-07:00Mom Meals: Dorito Bake with ZucchiniThis past week we welcomed Thane's mom, Ari's Gigi, into our home. She helped out while I returned to work, watching our little man and making the transition "easier" for me (the quotes around easier are because this whole going back to work thing is just a tad emotionally challenging). Anywho, we have not always had the easiest of meals this week, or they have been of the eat-out variety. <br />
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Tonight, though, I needed to cook something that would allow for leftovers.<br />
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I found a yummy <a href="http://www.mamalaughlin.com/2012/02/skinny-doritos-taco-bake.html" target="_blank">Dorito Bake</a> recipe that I wanted to try, but I added a few twists of my own, including sneaking in some zucchini (since our garden is somewhat overrun).<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ol>
<li>2 cans Pillsbury crescent rolls</li>
<li>
1 pound ground turkey</li>
<li>1 can Original Rotel</li>
<li>1 package Taco Seasoning</li>
<li> 3 cups chopped zucchini</li>
<li>
6-8 oz Low-fat Sour Cream</li>
<li>
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese</li>
<li>
Crushed Doritos to taste</li>
</ol>
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Preheat oven to 350.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>
Brown the turkey in a skillet with the taco seasoning, Rotel, and zucchini.</li>
<li>Roll out the crescent rolls and fit the flattened dough side-by-side in a 9x13 greased pan.</li>
<li>
Top crescent rolls with the meat mixture,</li>
<li>Spread Sour Cream over meat. </li>
<li>Top with shredded cheese and crushed Doritos.<br />
Bake for 35 minutes.</li>
</ol>
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The meal was a perfect fit for my mother-in-law and husband who spent the day rebuilding our fireplace mantle while I played with Ari, did a bit of gardening, and folded laundry. They were starving, and this fit the bill! My husband also commented, "This would be good kid food!" So, I know I'm holding onto this recipe to remember for when Ari is a bit older.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-71473400016511253472012-08-14T20:18:00.005-07:002012-08-14T20:19:08.661-07:00Mom Meals: Dressed Up Zatarain'sWhile I tend to ignore the plethora of dressed-up desserts on sites like Pinterest, Dressed Up Zatarain's is a favorite here at our casa. When Costco sold the packs, we bought them like they were going out of style. Now, I just grab a few (usually the jambalaya or dirty rice) when they are on sale at our local grocery store, usually for $2 or less a box. Considering that, with just a few editions, this makes 6 portions, my bank account is a fan. It's also quick. Depending on how fast you chop and how much else you are trying to accomplish while dinner cooks, the meal can take 25-40 minutes to prepare.<br />
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This meal requires, at the least, the box of Zatarain's and your favorite ground meat. From there, the blend is entirely up to you! I wanted something that would help us get through the quickly aging veggies on our counter and in our fridge. My ingredient list looked like this:<br />
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<ol>
<li>One box Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix</li>
<li>Several tomatoes (many more than in the picture)</li>
<li>Yellow Sweet Peppers</li>
<li>Zucchini </li>
<li>1 pound ground beef</li>
</ol>
If I had more veggies, I would have chopped them up and thrown them in, as well! I made the mistake of defrosting the wrong meet, but I was saved by a husband willing to defrost the ground beef while I prepared the rest of the meal.<br />
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<ol>
<li>Prepare the Zatarain's according to the package instructions (I omit the oil)</li>
<li>Sautee ground meet until brown</li>
<li>Add in veggies of your choosing and cook until all of the juices are almost gone</li>
<li>Add in cooked rice and stir</li>
</ol>
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It's even better the next day as leftovers!<br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-86548913642611663442012-08-13T18:05:00.001-07:002012-08-13T18:09:11.143-07:00Mom Meals: Grilled ZucchiniIt's entirely possible that we let our zucchini grow a day too long.<br />
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This thing is about as long as our three-month old. There are so many recipes on these vast interwebs that will tell you how to make zucchini bread or cake, zucchini and cheese, and more. My favorite zucchini recipe, however, is the simplest one.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<ol>
<li>Zucchini </li>
<li>1 tbl garlic salt</li>
<li>1 tbl Italian seasoning</li>
<li>1/4 cup olive oil</li>
</ol>
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Steps:<br />
<ol>
<li>Slice zucchini into spears</li>
<li>Put zucchini in a large bowl and toss with the garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and olive oil</li>
<li>Grill (or pan fry) for 15 minutes, or until the meat of the zucchini is somewhat translucent.</li>
</ol>
In our house, my husband does the grilling, but when he sees a wealth of zucchini (or one giant zucchini) in the yard, he'll say, "Can you make YOUR zucchini?" I'll do the seasoning, and he'll do the grilling. It's a partnership that works. Even with just one person, though, this makes for a delicious (and filling) side dish!<br />
<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-59688475945728288792012-08-09T22:32:00.002-07:002012-08-09T22:33:07.605-07:00Photoshop: Wrapping upI finished working my way through the <a href="http://www.theaccentpiece.com/?p=531" target="_blank">31 Days to Learning Photoshop Basics</a> series. I learned how to manipulate pieces of photos using <a href="http://www.theaccentpiece.com/?p=642" target="_blank">perspective</a> and how to distort people's features using <a href="http://www.theaccentpiece.com/?p=768" target="_blank">liquify</a>. I even made the new header for this blog using Photoshop, something, I had no idea how to do before following this series.<br />
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The end of this tutorial also marks the end of my summer. I have four days off before returning to school after not only summer break but also my maternity leave. I'm heading to work after 16 weeks of days filled with my personal life (with some professional work thrown in to prepare for the new year). I can't quite write about this new change yet, or I may break down into tears.<br />
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Back to photography! Yay! The two tutorials this summer changed the way I take pictures and the way I process pictures. I've already started on another photography tutorial, <a href="http://my3boybarians.com/31-days-of-photo-tips/" target="_blank">31 Days of Photo Tips</a>, and I'll post anything here that seems worth sharing. Beyond that, I've found a wealth of websites and other tutorials through Pinterest. I'll mention them by name in a post, or on my <a href="http://rebalala.blogspot.com/p/photography.html" target="_blank">Photography</a> page, if they make a difference in my little photography hobby. Thanks for following along through these posts. I've been glad to have a way to make myself accountable for what I've been learning!<br />
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And, just for fun...I was going to post some liquified photos of Ari's smile, but they kind of creeped me out, so, instead, I'll just leave you with a happy baby:<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-29949174705715728272012-08-07T21:30:00.004-07:002012-08-07T21:31:18.279-07:00Mom Meals: Salmon with Lemon ButterSince I needed my mom to watch Ari for a bit this afternoon, my dad is also coming over, and we're having dinner as a whole family. My mom is diabetic, so the recipes I choose for her visits require a careful balance of carbs. Rice, pasta and bread-based meals do not fit her diet. Potatoes, however, work well. In general, she also tries to eat healthy, and I try to respect that when cooking for her!<br />
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Did I also mention that my mom's primary ethnic make-up is French? And you know what they say about the three secrets to French cooking...butter, butter, butter. I never fry things in butter, but when it comes to baked dishes, butter just does the trick.<br />
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Inspired by this <a href="https://pinterest.com/pin/118149190195142204/" target="_blank">Salmon and Lemons</a> recipe I found on Pinterest, I set to work. Instead of going for just pats of butter on the salmon, I decided to make lemon butter. <br />
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This is a really simple meal with few ingredients!<br />
<ul>
<li>Salmon</li>
<li>1 cup butter</li>
<li>Juice of one half of a lemon</li>
<li>A dash of salt </li>
<li>Several lemons</li>
<li>Potatoes</li>
<li>Salt</li>
<li>Pepper</li>
<li>A splash of lemon juice</li>
<li>Tarragon </li>
</ul>
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Full disclosure, I had a very angry baby on my hands by the time I got to step 5. I left the foil packet to wait until the oven warmed up to tend to the wee one. My husband offered to help; so, I put him in charge of the potatoes and of moving the salmon in and out of the oven. We work well as a team, and we enjoyed a lovely meal!<br />
<ol>
<li>Pre-heat oven to 300</li>
<li>Blend softened butter, the juice of 1/2 a lemon in a food processor</li>
<li>Lay salmon on foil, spread butter on salmon</li>
<li>Slice lemons and layer slices on the salmon </li>
<li>Fold up the foil packet</li>
<li>Bake the packet on a cookie sheet for 25 minutes</li>
<li>Boil the potatoes (length depends on the type of potatoes)</li>
<li>After potatoes are done, add a pat of butter, a splash of lemon juice, salt, pepper and a sprig of tarragon.</li>
</ol>
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-19673927763473655462012-08-06T20:41:00.003-07:002012-08-06T20:41:25.484-07:00Mom Meals: Spinach, Raspberry and Cheese SaladWe have a standing weekly potluck with friends of ours who also have an infant. This makes for a great evening in, as we both have the resources to care for small humans at our homes. Whoever hosts cooks the main dish, and the visitors bring a side or dessert.<br />
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Tonight's <a href="http://rebalala.blogspot.com/search/label/mom%20meals" target="_blank">mom meal</a> is one of my favorite salads: <i>Spinach, Raspberries, Cheese and Poppyseed Dressing</i><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 pint raspberries</li>
<li>1 bag spinach</li>
<li>8 oz crumbled feta or blue cheese </li>
<li>Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing</li>
</ul>
I toss this salad in a big <a href="http://my2.tupperware.com/tup-html/S/sabkry-welcome.html" target="_blank">Tupperware</a> bowl with the lid on (so much easier than me trying to awkwardly toss a salad with salad tongs) and then serve it.<br />
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I especially love this salad with feta or another goat cheese, but this evening's hostess is NOT A FAN of goat cheeses; blue cheese makes a nice substitute. If raspberries aren't available, you can also slice in strawberries or try out raspberries for a nice splash of color, flavor, and nutrition -- as long as the berries have at least a hint of sweetness, they'll it nicely with the salty flavor of the cheese and the sweet dressing.<br />
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If you're not having to slice strawberries, this is totally something you can do one-handed, with a baby on your hip!<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-43343462381574593922012-08-05T22:24:00.000-07:002012-08-07T17:28:29.688-07:00Mom Meals: Pesto Pasta with BrieEarly into our relationship, I realized that Thane had I had very different cooking styles. My gourmet husband cooks like he has all the time in the world, and the results are stellar: perfectly rolled pie crusts, delectable risotto, amazing roasted veggies. I, on the other hand, cook like my mom and her mom before her. I cook like a mom. I need to make dinners that allow me to multitask. This means I often cook casseroles or other things that are quick to assemble and the can be left for a while as I go about other tasks.<br />
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I'm going to start sharing some of my mom meals, because I KNOW there are others out there could use these recipes!<br />
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Tonight, I made a yummy pasta with homemade pesto, brie, and fresh tomatoes from our garden. I originally got this idea after a dinner out with my mom a few years ago at Il Fornaio. I have started making a few changes, like using a full on pesto instead of just a few basil leaves.<br />
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This meal is relatively inexpensive, makes great leftovers, can be made in separate little steps (like making the pesto at a different time than the main meal), and, best of all, can easily be eaten one handed while nursing a baby or otherwise wrangling the kiddos.<br />
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Now, your inaugural <a href="http://rebalala.blogspot.com/search/label/mom%20meals" target="_blank">Mom Meal</a>:<br />
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<b>Pesto Pasta with Brie </b><br />
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Ingredients<br />
1) <b>Pesto of your choice</b>. I used <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/basil-walnut-pesto-45348" target="_blank">this walnut pesto recipe</a> (minus the butter) for tonight's meal -- as pine nuts are waaay to pricey. <br />
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I doubled the recipe and froze some in cubes for the winter (when I'll add a single cube to a tomato based sauce for a nice punch of flavor). <br />
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2) <b>Brie</b>. I buy the 17 oz wheels of brie from Costco. I use 1/4-1/3 of a wheel in this dish. How cheesy you want it is up to you. Keep in mind that brie takes a lot of stirring to entirely melt.<br />
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3) <b>Tomatoes</b>. I used a bowl-full of fresh cherry tomatoes from our garden.<br />
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4) <b>1 pound of pasta</b>.<br />
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You can increase or decrease the ingredients as they suit your own taste!<br />
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The whole meal, including making the pesto, can be made in around 30 minutes. Tonight, however, it took me almost two hours, because I had to stop twice to feed Ari and several more times to entertain the little guy. Luckily, this meal breaks into discreet steps:<br />
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1) Make the pesto (<i>blend olive oil, salt, garlic, basil, walnuts, and parmesan cheese, or according to your recipe's instructions</i>).<br />
2) Heat water for pasta<br />
3) Slice tomatoes (if necessary) and brie while pasta boils<br />
4) Add pasta to boiling water, boil to your preferred texture<br />
5) Pour off water<br />
6) Mix cooked pasta with a bit of butter<br />
7) Add in brie and stir until melted<br />
8) Add in pesto; completely coat the pasta<br />
9) Add tomatoes and stir again to mix <br />
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I recommend enjoying this with some sparkling wine, as the bubbles and the tartness of the wine suit the strong flavor of the cheese. Sparkling water or beer also work well (we paired this with Blue Moon's Summer Wheat).<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-53128626073646180312012-08-04T11:34:00.002-07:002012-08-05T18:07:21.556-07:00Photoshop: Blur and WatermarkI'm getting closer and closer to what I want with this wedding photo. <br />
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For this first version, I used the marquee tool, the blur filter and the tips on making a watermark. The background is still too busy for my taste.<br />
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Then there's this version. I found a jpeg with the piano music for our song, merged it with the text of the lyrics and added in a different photo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTaG7zA_Fqao_tS90QrU7cNx7juKKDIVUvx8JTs5DlydaUHITp4FAAqa_tm3b-k8QKEnCVOgHI3fnEF8Lsusa2_MIN-J-i8CRXQBHRJFnAM1k5l6oyS6oMVQPDtk7xW9xPF8Y/s1600/song3+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTaG7zA_Fqao_tS90QrU7cNx7juKKDIVUvx8JTs5DlydaUHITp4FAAqa_tm3b-k8QKEnCVOgHI3fnEF8Lsusa2_MIN-J-i8CRXQBHRJFnAM1k5l6oyS6oMVQPDtk7xW9xPF8Y/s320/song3+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Or this, which is totally different, but I think I like this one best. I turned a formerly color photo b&w, blended the layers, and added in the piano music. I put the photo on top of the lyrics and reduced the opacity (something I totally didn't know how to do until yesterday). What do we think?<br />
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I'm having fun learning new things, and I'm almost done with the tutorial. I'll be on the search for more!<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-7187087933455971392012-08-03T09:28:00.002-07:002012-08-05T18:07:45.108-07:00RevisionsI'm just going to keep playing with this! I changed the background the color celadon, one of our wedding colors, and then played around with the font and color of the lyrics. The purple is one of the wedding colors, and the font is fairly similar to our invitations. Thoughts?<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-75190982942116255372012-08-02T22:54:00.001-07:002012-08-05T18:08:46.091-07:00Photoshop: Layer StylesI was inspired by a project on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRUoYz9JkdloABBCvl_VgQKtKcxsYEZ-YDC-ZGqhwyC9OwaOToM42YsGtp557LWFK0Ij9cBmmyECH5icWiIEM_PoyPYm717PytbFLGgX64KJYlD9tiCJuTeeoY653J-_eXGtZ/s1600-h/il_430xN.48340504.jpg" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, and I wanted to make my own creative project with a photo of our first dance connected to the lyrics to the song. Pinterest actually has dozens, if not hundreds, of ideas for how to make use of "your song." This is one method. Luckily, it fit with my current spot in the Photoshop tutorial.<br />
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I wanted to make the lyrics "pop" just a bit, so I used the layer styles to make the text look a bit different than usual. I know that I will work on this more, that this is so not my final product, but it is heading in the right direction.<br />
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First, I got rid of all the lovely people in the background (fabulous family and friends who just didn't quite fit with the whole point of the image) by selecting just us and inverting the selection using the magnetic lasso. Then, I added in the text of the song, stanza by stanza. What I would really like to do is have us against a background of the music, but that's another lesson for another day.<br />
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For now, it's a start.<br />
<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-46216060194578743402012-08-01T08:44:00.002-07:002012-08-05T18:09:30.881-07:00Photoshop: Text Insert, Color MatchNow that I've discovered how to add text to photos in Photoshop, the captions are on a roll. I used to open up photos in PowerPoint, add text, group the photos, and save as a jpeg. Meh. This is SO. MUCH. EASIER.<br />
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The tutorial also walked me through how to match the colors of my captions with the photos in my images. Color coordination, huzzah!<br />
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Here's one of my experiments:<br />
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I matched the text to Thane's shirt. This isn't a perfect tool. I wanted to match the text to the color of my shirt, but Adobe thought it was a black shirt. No, it's navy blue...it's a CAL SHIRT. So, I went for something easier, that nice taupe color.<br />
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In other news, I have a new goal with my photography: Shutterstock. It's a photo database that sells photos to folks who need stock images, like newspapers, magazines, retailers, etc. I am working on my first set of 10 images (7 of which have to be approved before I can really begin to submit work). I've gotten some critiques on my photos, and it's not pretty. My biggest area of weakness is focus. Photos for stock have to be S-H-A-R-P, and mine....aren't. I'm heading back to the drawing board and refocusing on finishing the PS tutorial, then it's on to <a href="http://my3boybarians.com/31-days-of-photo-tips/" target="_blank">31 Days of Photo Tips</a>, written by the same blogger who wrote the other photography tutorial I did this summer. I feel like my photos have improved a great deal over the summer, but I have a long way to go before I can start selling stock photos.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-53706136892295390002012-07-24T21:54:00.000-07:002012-08-05T18:09:55.257-07:00Photoshop: Inverse Select, Clone Stamp & Healing ToolI am still playing around with the picture of my friend and our kids. I want to make it look a bit more realistic. I learned that using Inverse Select would allow me to delete the background of the image, making it (a bit) simpler for me remove all the extra little details from the photo.<br />
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In the process of trying to remove details, I removed too much of my friend's head (laugh, it's okay). I discovered, too late to just undo the mistake, that I had removed a triangular portion of her head. I used the clone stamp tool to clone a bit of her hair to replace the missing piece. Given that she did her Ph.D. research on stem cells, I have a feeling that she'll appreciate the cloning aspect of this experiment.<br />
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I have used the healing before, but it has been a while. I pulled up a photo of my friend's adorable son (one I used earlier when going through the 31 Days to a Better Photo tutorial). This young man, my godson, is delightfully adorable. He just happened to have a bit of...goop...on his face.<br />
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I used the healing brush to clean up the goop. I also applied "Slight Lighten" to brighten up the overall picture.<br />
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Some might say that photoshopping a baby is going too far. When you take holiday photos, for example, right after a child has had a losing battle with some blades of grass (as Ari did a few days ago), does that mean the Christmas card picture that year should just have a kid with scratches on his face? I know that the adorable boy in the photos above doesn't always have goop on his face, so I took away the goop he happened to have at that moment. Is that bad?<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-58581796516955094032012-07-20T17:33:00.002-07:002012-08-05T18:10:17.632-07:00Photoshop: Lasso ToolSo, I'm still learning, but this was FUN. I took a picture of my friend holding her son and my son. The picture has a busy, at home background.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVIJ9gbK-NC71BcyyKDzZ1nOGdzT4_DXv-KpDw_6Ba_UavgL_QdKNxVHuz1uEk5WylzhskJrllqgraTNc1FTkgVUqRs10gTbMWVKwCGvhe1Q7W45SHgE_nzlH2c4K37HOMdsj/s1600/DSC_9779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVIJ9gbK-NC71BcyyKDzZ1nOGdzT4_DXv-KpDw_6Ba_UavgL_QdKNxVHuz1uEk5WylzhskJrllqgraTNc1FTkgVUqRs10gTbMWVKwCGvhe1Q7W45SHgE_nzlH2c4K37HOMdsj/s320/DSC_9779.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
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I used the lasso tool to capture the three people in the picture and move them to a better location.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOU84Y4sdXEAWSJ95Kt3hnYyNOY-Dnu4XV-CK5g0orHPKEG2Yz0wASUnrADe5z6A0rG7P5KUVz1X1cGFg2tExIz4Si6qqp-BIs9TI5W6U5JiYUni655OnZJ9BtOOedB5GVDh6d/s1600/DSC_9784+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOU84Y4sdXEAWSJ95Kt3hnYyNOY-Dnu4XV-CK5g0orHPKEG2Yz0wASUnrADe5z6A0rG7P5KUVz1X1cGFg2tExIz4Si6qqp-BIs9TI5W6U5JiYUni655OnZJ9BtOOedB5GVDh6d/s320/DSC_9784+copy.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
It looks silly, I know, and I need more practice with this freehand tool, but it also looks kind of cool...this could be dangerous.<br />
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Next, I tried making it look just a smidge more realistic using the magnetic lasso tool. At the suggestion of my husband, I also inverted the photo to make the light look more accurate for the people in the picture. This took a few times of lassoing (on a laptop fingerpad...so, not the most precise of tools), but it looks better than the first attempt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2GgBUkO1E3gSwJL5SJy6e52o630RBlRlpGSJuSx57BqNcf1tmYNSldNvfOXaH54txC0-kJ3bsciLHdic1GRALCwXmx2gG8x6xeFa996ZXrXe0cjkYNZHvKA8LT2wFF97CLVA/s1600/DSC_9784_magnetic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2GgBUkO1E3gSwJL5SJy6e52o630RBlRlpGSJuSx57BqNcf1tmYNSldNvfOXaH54txC0-kJ3bsciLHdic1GRALCwXmx2gG8x6xeFa996ZXrXe0cjkYNZHvKA8LT2wFF97CLVA/s320/DSC_9784_magnetic.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-72529381486727035452012-07-12T21:48:00.001-07:002012-07-12T21:59:20.817-07:00Photoshop: Brightness and ContrastFirst, I converted a really cute photo from Ari's first days home from color to black and white, then I adjusted both the brightness and contrast:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLD4jPeFv9LeLMtEdRz7TQwxyDMuyJoCJNhAZyPOZPViOIZ-5pWHbdVxM5UNwcBeVFcITxn8FJL9mhd9w28Iqt6ccfEDL75vuOx0LDkVFq7Vx4mMhyphenhyphenNb6VsWVndd9E2t9K_xAi/s1600/arisweet_weboriginal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLD4jPeFv9LeLMtEdRz7TQwxyDMuyJoCJNhAZyPOZPViOIZ-5pWHbdVxM5UNwcBeVFcITxn8FJL9mhd9w28Iqt6ccfEDL75vuOx0LDkVFq7Vx4mMhyphenhyphenNb6VsWVndd9E2t9K_xAi/s320/arisweet_weboriginal.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SOOC</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d4d3Sa75oxpQXT33XvWnVviShE5NlLdwNjM1OgU39cRPHka7z5deqagjqpCGmB555jj1oTLBkckfsvdhGaHcfWbLhfpEdpnzaobCoGPCu5B5i1mtIsuEcI3K5Z-1Qg-tOa7P/s1600/arisweet_original-bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d4d3Sa75oxpQXT33XvWnVviShE5NlLdwNjM1OgU39cRPHka7z5deqagjqpCGmB555jj1oTLBkckfsvdhGaHcfWbLhfpEdpnzaobCoGPCu5B5i1mtIsuEcI3K5Z-1Qg-tOa7P/s320/arisweet_original-bw.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Converted using PW Black and White Beauty</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzZ2WHtJc6SBoD70Y3XpuUBXmgrljLnj41L9oYk6rrMULkho72nbj6PLG7lp-ocfUJGs_YkeVYfk3s3lMw_MIHG-BJwsy1d62u6q6PFfT_gn3w0iTg3TPBuEGo_wIx0s_MtKy/s1600/arisweet_BW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzZ2WHtJc6SBoD70Y3XpuUBXmgrljLnj41L9oYk6rrMULkho72nbj6PLG7lp-ocfUJGs_YkeVYfk3s3lMw_MIHG-BJwsy1d62u6q6PFfT_gn3w0iTg3TPBuEGo_wIx0s_MtKy/s320/arisweet_BW.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Increased both brightness and contrast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While this tutorial is meant primarily for bloggers, but my big question right now is how these doctored photos will look in print...hmmm....Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-90395966371328833122012-07-12T14:05:00.002-07:002012-07-12T21:59:13.241-07:00Photoshop: Transform ToolToday, I learned about how to manipulate my photos in a creative way. The transform tool let me free hand the size, angle and location of my photo. I played around with having a background, a shape, and text, as well.<br />
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This was fun!<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-3266994230274952822012-07-11T21:14:00.003-07:002012-07-12T21:59:04.692-07:00Photoshop: Slight LightenThe next tutorial was about Pioneer Woman's "Slight Lighten" action. I played with a photo of Ari. I'll include the original and one that has been adjusted using Slight Lighten, Bring Out the Eyes, adjusting the levels a bit, and adjusting for skin tone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QHS2u5-JMPHFRkywthm40TwKBYzlvRRhyphenhyphenNflGwIS_0EcWMR7Nh2vvwtkOcGw1xqsF_0eCH_GbJ5sXFEGuHzdxaLkoNPioGki32an7H4RU6js2S3YlS-6c7Xb_mnf5bZOYsyH/s1600/DSC_9735_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QHS2u5-JMPHFRkywthm40TwKBYzlvRRhyphenhyphenNflGwIS_0EcWMR7Nh2vvwtkOcGw1xqsF_0eCH_GbJ5sXFEGuHzdxaLkoNPioGki32an7H4RU6js2S3YlS-6c7Xb_mnf5bZOYsyH/s320/DSC_9735_web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I took the photo at 1600 ISO, with a custom white balance.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-48907639122953781042012-07-10T11:42:00.000-07:002012-07-12T21:58:50.044-07:00Photoshop: ActionsI started a Photoshop tutorial a few days ago, and I've finally reached the point in it when I can show off some new toys. I downloaded Actions during the previous tutorial I completed, and now I'm ready to play around a bit more. I have a fun picture of Izzy to use; so, let's get started!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4DWmjVhSIlgbcvDmH8bp_tB6Rdpmec6QYprRb-fmHlmuwdFJxxPZnbkLY_Vgg_vxlQcUQhS7iCliK58uXafqYlGc8DxHTLNJmEvKDEcw8cTxzTnOBD8VM87aXMvvDPtkJE8l/s1600/izzy_sooc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4DWmjVhSIlgbcvDmH8bp_tB6Rdpmec6QYprRb-fmHlmuwdFJxxPZnbkLY_Vgg_vxlQcUQhS7iCliK58uXafqYlGc8DxHTLNJmEvKDEcw8cTxzTnOBD8VM87aXMvvDPtkJE8l/s320/izzy_sooc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Straight Out of Camera (Sized for the Web)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2dWzfnGd1kxE2gEI537hZdvsrvIuYZ7M7XqRWMs74ZlJ0Qv1k3zW17AHpkdDAN_dFLuoRh7r_zOWLY5GGVlnqbN2AgQcb3pKr3dgGmLhe1CMB9ErKAsWnGLTWHF4-1qPCLGY/s1600/izzy_sooc_boost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2dWzfnGd1kxE2gEI537hZdvsrvIuYZ7M7XqRWMs74ZlJ0Qv1k3zW17AHpkdDAN_dFLuoRh7r_zOWLY5GGVlnqbN2AgQcb3pKr3dgGmLhe1CMB9ErKAsWnGLTWHF4-1qPCLGY/s320/izzy_sooc_boost.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With "Boost"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrfEtlHF7pYczG-VY2nFsttcCB7cpVuGMPtezfa2CyqYrrz7CFcUptA1a3oQrsDidsSbnpwGo629XjsGAfpIG_msi_s0c9LmrUOhnZLbzGMP4BPENRa0bAwH_OH7MFqUTZSDj/s1600/izzy_sepia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpEWbgb0LsAnAfn8Su8gsLRhEle1JptxlUAKSqTxukeSLyUeh7hfmUXA1bXuItrTB1472RsE6GWK-yysZ1dFQz_N-G4LYTwdukQnmv6hM0ph3pKW6R5tirQkYMmef4r2YlGRn/s1600/izzy_bwbeauty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpEWbgb0LsAnAfn8Su8gsLRhEle1JptxlUAKSqTxukeSLyUeh7hfmUXA1bXuItrTB1472RsE6GWK-yysZ1dFQz_N-G4LYTwdukQnmv6hM0ph3pKW6R5tirQkYMmef4r2YlGRn/s320/izzy_bwbeauty.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black and White Beauty</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrfEtlHF7pYczG-VY2nFsttcCB7cpVuGMPtezfa2CyqYrrz7CFcUptA1a3oQrsDidsSbnpwGo629XjsGAfpIG_msi_s0c9LmrUOhnZLbzGMP4BPENRa0bAwH_OH7MFqUTZSDj/s1600/izzy_sepia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrfEtlHF7pYczG-VY2nFsttcCB7cpVuGMPtezfa2CyqYrrz7CFcUptA1a3oQrsDidsSbnpwGo629XjsGAfpIG_msi_s0c9LmrUOhnZLbzGMP4BPENRa0bAwH_OH7MFqUTZSDj/s320/izzy_sepia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sepia</td></tr>
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I can also mix and match the actions, if I want. For example, here's one with boost and sepia:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKb1_rre8ciwGhUDbDv-osVdouuzFhH8lsTNG-Yc3chOIgq8R_57wwrA4biabTmdwkqMJbbPGYGXyIPfg0759c9z5k0RCb9VNEkgefL4JjcM6s7FxDi4CIhVF3ujryzQWePmqj/s1600/izzy_sepiaandboost+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKb1_rre8ciwGhUDbDv-osVdouuzFhH8lsTNG-Yc3chOIgq8R_57wwrA4biabTmdwkqMJbbPGYGXyIPfg0759c9z5k0RCb9VNEkgefL4JjcM6s7FxDi4CIhVF3ujryzQWePmqj/s320/izzy_sepiaandboost+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The two actions combined give the image an old-time newspaper feel.<br />
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Oooh, I could get lost in Photoshop Actions. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2dWzfnGd1kxE2gEI537hZdvsrvIuYZ7M7XqRWMs74ZlJ0Qv1k3zW17AHpkdDAN_dFLuoRh7r_zOWLY5GGVlnqbN2AgQcb3pKr3dgGmLhe1CMB9ErKAsWnGLTWHF4-1qPCLGY/s1600/izzy_sooc_boost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706099.post-9240225233351153882012-07-08T21:05:00.002-07:002012-07-12T21:58:40.690-07:00Better Photos: Finishing UpI did a speed read through the last few days (with a snoozing Ari in my arms). I am amazed at all I have learned - and implemented - in the past month.<br />
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The final lessons from this series should show up soon:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhpav9rgy7TOF7Mh2FE-wupruSu0_ytXJ9UhyKCq5AhK_fAOceDW2-0FC5jL8TSVnXD2uY5xs6Myb6ASTWoeTml9Vxa48PdTslCpylm8wWiociR1hkQV3_vN5qe62I2xMe9ZU/s1600/31dayscollageforweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<ul>
<li> Hopefully, the blog will start to load faster as I start saving photos for the web (rather than loading full size images.</li>
<li>I must remember to hold the camera steady...this could mean holding my breath during particularly challenging shots.
Now, to close, here's a little collage of some of my favorite photos I took during this little adventure. This was created using the pic stitch app, and I modified the size to be more appropriate for the web.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhpav9rgy7TOF7Mh2FE-wupruSu0_ytXJ9UhyKCq5AhK_fAOceDW2-0FC5jL8TSVnXD2uY5xs6Myb6ASTWoeTml9Vxa48PdTslCpylm8wWiociR1hkQV3_vN5qe62I2xMe9ZU/s1600/31dayscollageforweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhpav9rgy7TOF7Mh2FE-wupruSu0_ytXJ9UhyKCq5AhK_fAOceDW2-0FC5jL8TSVnXD2uY5xs6Myb6ASTWoeTml9Vxa48PdTslCpylm8wWiociR1hkQV3_vN5qe62I2xMe9ZU/s320/31dayscollageforweb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Next, I plan on following along with <a href="http://www.theaccentpiece.com/?p=531">31 Days to Learning Photoshop Basics (For Bloggers)</a>. Weeeeee.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10399063549286134333noreply@blogger.com0