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Here is a Photoshop tutorial on how to make a soft glow and change the lighting of your photos. It’s really fun and easy to do.
1. Open up your photo in Photoshop. I’m using a photo of Fiona’s foot for this tutorial.
2. At the top, click “Images,” then scroll down to “Adjustments,” then down to “Brightness/Contrast”. Change the brightness to approximately 50%. If you have a really white, bright, or over-exposed photo already, then you can skip this step.
3. At the top, click “Layers,” then scroll down and click “Duplicate Layer.” A little box will come up. Click “OK.”
4. At the top, click “Filter,” then scroll down to “Blur,” then down to “Gaussian Blur.” Change it to make the Radius: 25 pixels.
5. On the side box, under “Layers,” at the very top there is a box that says “Normal.” Click this box and scroll down to “Multiply.” Voila! You are finished!
Here are a few other soft, glowy photos of our one month old Fiona.
I used Juliet’s felt cupcake tutorial to make these delicious felt cupcake toys as gifts for the kids this week as it is now Ayyam-i-ha!
This is a photo tutorial. For a detailed written mosaic tutorial, see my previous mosaic tutorial in the side links.
1. Shopping at IKEA.
2. Painting the wood.
3. Designing the image (I cut a giraffe out of paper and traced it on twice on to the mirror frame).
4. Scoring (cutting) the stained glass.
5. Snapping (breaking) the stained glass.
6. Arranging the stained glass.
7. Glueing the stained glass.
8. Giraffes completed. On to the background.
9. Background’s completed. Time to mix the grout.
10. Spreading the grout. (Careful not to scratch the stained glass).
11. Grout is complete.
12. Let dry for about an hour, then sponge off gently.
(At this point in the photo shoot my daughter, who was in “quiet/nap time” in her room learned how to open her window and was yelling out to my neighbour, trying to get her attention so she could talk with her. My neighbour then came in for a chat and I forgot about taking pictures).
13. Wait 24hrs. Polish the glass with your finger, cloth, or paper towel until really shiny. Then it’s finished!
Here is the completed set: mosaic and two frames, that I made as a wedding present for my cousin Tricia who gets married in two weeks.
Stained Glass Mosaic Tutorial
Mosaics are best done on wood, ceramic or cement. This tutorial is for making a glass mosaic with wooden frames and a mirror with a wooden frame. I purchased these items at IKEA.
Materials and equiment needed:
- glass cutter
- plastic glass snapper
- colored glass (from a stained glass store. Usually they sell broken pieces for really cheap)
- wooden board (to work on). I usually put a wad of newspapers underneath instead.
- wood frame
- clear glue (choose one that’s good for wood, like Weldbond)
- grout (choose sanded grout.) It comes in a variety of colors.
- putty knife (or fingers)
- small bucket, like an old yogort container (to mix grout)
- another small container for water
- sponge
You can get most items you need from Home Depot, an art store, or a stained glass store.
1. Paint the frame white. This is optional, but it allows the color of the glass to shine through without getting muted by the wood.
2. Choose a piece of colored glass. Place the glass on a wooden board or newspaper. Press down firmly with glasscutter at a slight angle and run along length of glass. It should make a sound like ripping paper.
3. Glass snapper should be placed so scored line matches up with the centre of the snapper. By applying pressure on the handle, the glass with snap along the line.
4. When the pieces are cut and ready to be glued down, coat the entire back of glass piece with glue and firmly press onto the frame.
5. Let dry for 24 hours.
6. Time to grout. Put dry grout powder in container and slowly add water a little at a time until it reaches the consistency of thick mud. Using a putty knife (or fingers), spread the grout over the entire project, being careful not to scratch the glass.
7. Let set for 10-20 minutes before cleaning the grout off of the glass with a damp sponge. A light coating of grout will remain and can be cleaned off with a damp cloth after 24 hours. You can use the cloth or your fingers to make the glass really shiny.
Here is a recent mirror mosaic that I made as wedding present. (The mirror part is covered up so that I could take a picture of it without looking at myself.)
It says, “Kirsten Loves Ted Loves Kirsten.” It has 7 blue flowers and brown roots growing beneath the grass, in the dirt.
And 4 matching frames.
Here are Kirsten and Ted at their wedding.
A night out without kids!
And our first double date with my sister Juliet, and brother in law, Shane. (Normally one of us stays home to babysit. My parents just arrived from Malaysia, so we have a night out!)
Chocolate fondue fountain.
Here is a fantastic, soft playdough recipe that, if stored properly, can last for years.
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 Tablespoons cream of tartar
8 tablespoons of oil
4 cups of water
Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, add any food coloring you like and cook it in a pan on low heat until it is thick and not sticky. Knead the dough for two minutes. Store it in a plastic bag inside of a plastic container and keep it in the fridge.
This recipe makes a lot of playdough, so you can half the recipe if you want to make less.
I got this recipe from a drop-in play group at my local Mt. Pleasant Neighbourhood House.
Since everything still goes in the mouth for Diego, I’ve found an amazing recipe for playdough that he can eat!
Edible Playdough (From “Surviving Your Preschooler” by Trish Kuffner)
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 flour (any kind)
1/2 water (may need to add more, depending on what kind of flour you use)
Kneed. Play. Eat.
Here’s my nephew, Olee, testing it out. I recently discovered from a morning at the neighbourhood Family Place, that toy hammers are a favorite when playing with playdough.
