Friday, May 3, 2019

Avengers: Endgame Marvel Movie Reviewed

Avengers: Endgame Movie Reviewed
Avengers Endgame Poster
The Endgame of a Lifetime!

As soon as Avengers: Endgame was released in the theater,  we were there!  After waiting a year to see the final showdown between Thanos and the Avengers, an extra week or month would be asking too much. 

This is probably the most anticipated movie ever and fans were not disappointed.

There were several opportunities in the movie for Avenger fans to laugh, cheer out loud and a few very unexpected moments that reduced us to tears.  If you haven't seen it yet, I advise you to take Kleenex and prepare for the roller-coaster of emotions.  Avengers: Infinity War was only the beginning of gut-wrenching events and new realities for the Avengers.  

As I left the theater, I had conflicting thoughts.  I was ecstatic and felt a sense of gratification, but that was tempered by recognition of loss.  Any war exacts a high price, and this Endgame was no exception.


Avengers:  Endgame Movie Synopsis


 Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame (With Bonus)Check PriceI want to start by saying, don't watch trailers and don't read any spoilers.  This movie deserves to be seen from beginning to end and not chopped up into scenes or reduced to opinions.  I am happy to give some background, but I will not spoil the movie for you.  

The Avengers: Endgame movie starts with a lot of help from Captain Marvel as they try to locate, rescue, and reorganize the remaining Avengers.  Each one is dealing with their devastating personal losses from the Infinity War that seems to have ended with Thanos reducing the world's population by half.  Not only are they grieving the deaths of several beloved Avengers, friends and family, but the world is simply not operating the same way without everyone in place, working their jobs, and doing the daily tasks that make everything work together.

Tony Stark (Iron Man) is the only exception.  Since neither he nor Pepper Potts were "turned to ash", they have started a new life and home together.  They even have a child.  Truly a bright spot in an otherwise dismal few years following Infinity War.   

With Black Widow at the helm, the remaining Avengers (War Machine, Rocket, Nebula, & Okoye) report in to the Avenger's compound, giving updates on their current activity.  They are no longer able to work together as one team on one mission due to the large number of demands across the universe.  

Captain America is leading a support group, helping individuals find a new direction and learn to move on after the loss of their loved ones.  Thor has hit an all time low and is basically hiding out in the new Asgard.  No doubt, his current life choices will surprise you.  I know they shocked me. 

But, remember Ant-Man?  He was lost in a spacetime vortex when Dr. Pym and Hope (The Wasp) were turned to ash.  5 years later, when he finds his way back out, he has no knowledge of what has happened.  Therefore, his outlook is totally different from the other remaining Avengers.  After all, he hasn't spent the last 5 years grieving and trying to give new direction to the entire world.  His perspective is fresh and completely different.  Scott (Ant-Man) shows up at the Avenger's compound and presents his idea.  After consulting Bruce Banner (The Hulk) to discuss the scientific validity of Scott's suggestion, they set out to reassemble the team to once again fight together as one.    

Thus, the Endgame!





FOR A LIST OF AVENGER MOVIES AND THE RECOMMENDED WATCH ORDER, CLICK HERE

 

MORE MARVEL MOVIE REVIEWS

Marvel fans love Avengers: Infinity War!  All of our favorite Avengers, plus the Guardians of the Galaxy join the battle to save the world from evil domination and genocide by Thanos. Expect some very shocking and even upsetting deaths in this movie. Real Mavel fans will need Kleenex!


The movie Doctor Strange is based on the Marvel comics character. A fabulous fantasy fiction movie that is quite accurate with the depiction.



Guardians of the Galaxy is a truly fabulous Marvel movie that I would recommend for anyone! The movie is a mix of sci-fi, great animation, engaging stories, & witty dialog.



Ant-Man Movie ReviewAnt-Man Movie Review
Dr. Pym (Ant-Man suit inventor) & his daughter, Hope, train Scott Lang to work with ants and to become Ant-Man in preparation to "defeat" Darren Cross and his Yellowjacket invention.



Ant-Man & The Wasp Movie ReviewAnt-Man & The Wasp Movie Review
Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Michael Douglas (Dr. Hank Pym), and Evangeline Lilly (The Wasp / Dr. Pym's daughter), join together in battle. However, this time it is against a very unexpected mysterious foe, while also having to elude the FBI.



The movie Iron Man sets the foundation for all of the following Avengers movies. Every Marvel fan, old or young, needs to see the movie Iron Man.





House of Sylvestermouse



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, May 2, 2019

Find A Way - Book Review

find a way book cover
Read an Excerpt of Find A Way by Diana Nyad
Dreams are the great drivers in life.  They inspire, motivate, and take us to greater heights.  For some, though, lost dreams can be the source of their greatest regrets.  I have lost count of the number of times I have had others tell me they wish they had pursued a dream, or that now they are too old to make their most fervent dream come true.

Diana Nyad, in Find A Way, lives out for us her singular pursuit of the dream that gave her life true purpose and meaning—swimming the stretch of ocean that was deemed unswimmable.  She wasn't supposed to make it from Cuba to the Florida coastline.  Nobody ever had.

Because Nyad had failed to complete the swim in her twenties, when she was a record holding world-class distance swimmer, it seemed crazy that Nyad thought she could accomplish this in her sixties.  After all, Nyad had done no swimming for thirty years.  This would ultimately become a test of will, of mental strength, and of finding her peak long after most athletes are past their prime.  There would be the agony of many defeats before there was the thrill of victory at age 64.
"I failed and faltered many times, but I can look back without regret because I was never burdened with the paralysis of fear and inaction."
In the case of this epic quest, it wasn't just a question of physical prowess.  Nobody had ever conquered what was, and is, considered the Mount Everest of swimming due to factors outside of the control of the swimmer: the presence of deadly ocean predators (sharks and incredibly toxic jellyfish), violent storms, unforgiving currents and winds, and the debilitating effects of being submerged in salt water for a prolonged period of time (three days and nights).

The rigors of pulling off an expedition of this magnitude make for fascinating reading.  Nyad had to find and enlist the support of the foremost world experts in dealing with the extreme complexities of Gulf Stream navigation, fending off sharks (she swam without a shark cage), surviving the punishing and immensely painful stings of the deadly Box jellyfish, sustaining the body and mind while swimming for days without rest, and negotiating the divide between two countries that had long been estranged.  Without the bottomless commitment and devotion of lifelong friends, Nyad would literally have been dead in the water.

Find A Way is the book I would choose to give to everyone who has ever told me their dream has escaped them.  After reading it, my excuses for not chasing after my current dreams sound flimsy and embarrassing.  As a woman who wishes to live with far fewer regrets, I found in Nyad the kind of inspiration needed to launch myself toward my other shore.
"Whatever your other shore is, whatever you must do, whatever inspires you, you will find a way to get there."
To all of the dreamers out there, I say read this and jump back into the water.  Your distant shore beckons. 


















Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Grandmothers Love to be Remembered Come Mother's Day (A Book Review)

grandmother reading to child
Being a Grandmother is one of the most satisfying jobs in the world.  We get to have fun with our Grandchildren and not have the day to day responsibility of raising them.  (We have done that already!)

We are the ones that love to see our children and their children in settings that are remembered with much fondness.  I know I enjoy seeing my son and his children doing some of the same things that we did when he was a youngster.  Grandpa loves watching them play road hockey! Some of the funniest memories come from when he played with his children.  They still laugh an awful lot about some of those times.

When Mother's Day rolls around (and it does every year), sometimes Grandmothers get overlooked.  But, I must say this, when we are remembered, it is a wonderful feeling.

We grandmothers are called upon to look after little ones when Mom and Dad just need some "quiet" time on their own.  Date nights can be a rarity when you have little ones that are always on the go!

I'm just getting back from a week at their house, while mom and dad headed south for a 10 year anniversary "get away"!  Believe me, grandmomming for a week at a time can be a workout!

Having said that, I came across a great book for Grandmothers (and there is even one for Grandfathers), that makes being the "Grandparent" a special treat!  It would make a great little gift for that special "Grandma" in your life!  Especially great at Mother's Day!


how to babysit a grandma book cover

This is a book that every grandmother should have!  I love the story and how it reverses the roles of the sitter and the one being babysat!  This Grandmother in particular, loves reading books to her "grands", so this is a shoe in for me.  Whenever I am in charge of looking after my little ones, reading is one of the pastimes that we all enjoy.  This book makes it even easier, because the little ones enjoy the role reversal.  They are the ones looking after Grandma!

With the cost of greeting cards these days, I would much rather receive a book like this one and the cost is not much more!  Being remembered by your children on a day special to all mothers (and grandmothers) makes your heart swell  just a little bit and you get a great story to share with those that you love so much.  Try it out for your grandmother and see if there isn't just a little twinkle in her eyes.  Shared love and sharing a great story are two of the best things in life, at least for this grandma!





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, April 30, 2019

The Summer Between Reviewed

Sometimes A Book Touches Your Soul

summer scene
Summer scene image courtesy of pixabay.com
A few days ago I finished reading The Summer Between by Amanda Linton. I wanted to share my review of it with you today. Amanda is pretty new to the YA genre of books. In fact, I believe this book may be her first. It doesn't read like a first book, though. 

I had put her book on my TBR (to be read) list after getting to know her in a group that I belong to on Instagram. Her book cover and the line on the cover grabbed my attention. The line reads "I'll see you at the line where the waves meet the clouds." That made me want to find out more about the story.

I think that many will relate with Cleo Porter the 17 year old main character in the book. As she enters into her senior year of high school, she hides behind her camera. She snaps glimpses of the world that she doesn't feel like she belongs in. Her relationship with her mother, touched me greatly because it was more than the usual teenage girl/mother strained existence so many experience. This went deeper and I knew it because I had a similar relationship with my mother. Always hoping for acceptance and never quite getting it. A very believable and touching part of Cleo's story.

Bebe Blattner comes bursting into Cleo's life as a new student at school. Bebe is loud, she is too tall and she lives each day as an adventure. Cleo has known Bebe since they were small because they went to the same church but never attended the same school until now. Bebe makes friends with everyone, the popular kids, the less popular and the ones in between. Cleo struggles with keeping the few friends that she has. They are just about as opposite as two girls can be.

This is a story of coming of age, of finding who you are and the bond of friendship. It is a story about family; the one that shares our DNA and the family we choose as our friends. The future may look bright but often fate walks into your life in a way that might break you. This is a story of one girl working through the pain of loss to try to become whole again. Will she be able to?

I absolutely loved this book! It touched me in so many ways and I look forward to Amanda's future works. She is an incredible writer weaving a believable story on each page. Even though this is considered a Young Adult book, I think that most woman will fall in love with the characters and the story. In many ways, we have all lived at least parts of it. Take a chance and give this new author the recognition that she deserves. You won't regret it!


The Summer Between




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, April 29, 2019

Reviewing the Basalt Birdbath by Stone Age Creations

My birdbath on a West Virginia ridge.
I have been eyeing these beautiful carved stone birdbaths for years. Only last week did I finally splurge on one. The Basalt stone bird bath by Stone Age Creations carried what I consider a hefty price tag but I think it is worth every penny.  This unique stone bath speaks to me, it is a perfect addition to my "yard", and it will be appreciated by the birds that visit me at The Shack for years to come.

Why Bird Baths are Important


Not only are bird baths wonderful lawn ornaments but they also provide water for the local birds. Birds need water; most birds drinking daily. And birds bathe in order to clean their feathers. Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides important information about proper upkeep of healthy bird baths and why birdbaths are useful. 

Birdbaths also attract a variety of birds to your yard. If you enjoy backyard bird watching and want to attract more birds, you'll love Mary Bath's gorgeous photographs and story about her own backyard birdbath. I always look forward to seeing her photography of her feathered visitors.

What is Basalt?


By looking at and touching the birdbaths at Sun Nursery (where I purchased my birdbath), I could guess that Basalt was some sort of stone. For the purpose of this article, I looked up more information.

Basalt - "the dark, dense igneous rock of a lava flow.... often displaying a columnar structure"  - dictionary.com 

Basalt is also described as
  • as heavy as granite, sometimes heavier
  • high in iron content
  • as durable as granite
  • aesthetically interesting due to the iron content
  • is a stone that has been used in architecture for centuries
  • in addition to landscaping and architecture, basalt is used as massage stones and as healing stones in jewelry
And an interesting bit of trivia is that some of the iconic "head" sculptures of Easter Island are carved from Basalt! I don't know very much about those Moai carvings but I have always thought they are made from beautiful stone. 


Easter Island Moai stone carvings
(photo credit: public domain courtesy of Aurbina)

A Basalt Birdbath at The Shack


I wanted this particular bird bath for several reasons. It is beautiful. The rustic stone exterior and super smooth interior portion of the dish is interesting in appearance and blends perfectly with the rugged ridge landscape.

It comes in two pieces. Each piece is still quite heavy, but the two pieces allowed me to haul it in the Jeep and carry it to it's spot under the apple tree.

My beautiful basalt birdbath
The bowl is quite shallow. During my next visit I am going to add a flat rock to the bowl - giving the smaller birds another spot to perch or use as a step. I really like that this bowl is flat-bottomed and Cornell Lab recommends shallow bird baths. 

The deer are into every single thing that is outside at The Shack. I am hoping that they are not able to knock this heavy birdbath over if they decide to help themselves. Also, the wind blows quite hard coming up and over that ridge. I am sure this bird bath will not blow over.

My land is at the top of the ridge. The terrain is rocky and dry. There is a creek somewhat nearby but it is at the bottom of the hill. I'm sure the birds will be appreciative of a convenient water source.

Related Link: 

During my last trip to The Shack, it rained a lot. So much so that I didn't get much done. I wasn't able to prepare a spot so the bath sits level. But I did have an opportunity to take a hike. If you want to see the photos from that hike, click here

I have wanted this bird bath since discovering Sun Nursery years ago. Sun Nursery has a HUGE selection of plants and staff that are both helpful and knowledgeable. If you are near the Maryland and DC areas, Sun Nursery is well worth a visit. 

Stone Age Creations makes some gorgeous items. I am partial to their birdbaths, benches, and boulder owls. If there is not a distributor of their items in  your area, you can find some of their items on Amazon. 





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Sunday, April 28, 2019

How a Room's Color Can Affect Your Mood

Funk by Color
Did you know the colors you choose to decorate a space with will dictate the room's overall mood?

In a recent article we talked about the basic rules for choosing color when you decorate a space. That article also discusses 'Mood' as one of the pertinent considerations.

So let's review the Mood that each of the main colors evoke:

Red - Excitement

Red carries several meanings and all of them fall under the umbrella of excitement. Red represents rage just as much as it screams 'I love you'. In other words, if you need a room filled with emotion, red should be your go-to color. Splashes of red can make a room calming. However, if you plan to feature a whole wall of red and other red accessories, ensure the room is meant for social gatherings. You might even encourage intense discussions and debate in a red powered room.

Blue - Tranquility

Blue is the color of calmness and tranquility. However, if the room is entirely two colors such as blue and white, the space will feel cold more than calm. Three to four colors in a space along with your main choice color will achieve the intended affect of that main color (especially with blue). When you're seeking a peaceful, relaxing mood, combine light and dark blues together and soften the space with at least two other accessory colors.

Yellow - Uplifting

When you want a space to reflect a cheerful, happy, hopeful energy, choose yellow as the main color. We associate yellow with spring and summer so it's not a stretch to connect those seasons with an uplifting mood. Get ready for a little shock … did you know that yellow is also the color of intelligence? Yep, apparently intelligence has a color. Yellow is the color of the mind and it represents acquired knowledge. When you want to encourage learning, believe it or not, decorate with yellow.

Green - Renewal

The color of green represents two polar opposites. We typically think of nature, renewal, freshness and the environment when we decorate with green. However, green is also the color of money and can represent greed, jealousy and ambition. In home décor it's safe to say that a green themed room is normally chosen to create a fresh and harmonious environment. I mean, who decorates for greed, lol.

Orange - Enthusiasm

Orange is the color of creativity, social activity, determination and believe it or not, healthy eating. It's also an action color. Think of orange as the verb of colors. Most of us know the most popular 'buy button' online is orange. Makes sense right? After-all, orange is the verb of color. Orange is also ideal for a space where fun, interest, adventure and excitement are the primary mood goals. Go ahead, paint a wall in your kitchen orange! Orange is the social color that promotes healthy eating and conversation, making it ideal for the kitchen. Use various shades, or a softer shade if bright orange is too much. On a personal note, orange and yellow are my favorite colors :)

Purple - Wisdom

Purple is the color of royalty, luxury, power and spirituality. That's a fairly broad range, however indirectly each of these traits are connected to one another. If you're looking for a room that evokes grandeur with a bit of mystery, a purple themed room is the way to go. On a personal note, my young girl bedroom décor was purple, white, and pink. Without knowing, I must of been a mysteriously royal person who craved wisdom. :)

Did you read last weeks article on the color choices for spring and summer? You'll also get a quick tutorial on how to combine colors.

Have fun with color!


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, April 27, 2019

Two By Two – A Book Review

Two by Two book cover
Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks
by Nicholas Sparks

I have been a fan of the books by Nicholas Sparks for many years. His romantic novels are wonderful.

I think what makes them especially interesting is that they focus on real-life situations.  There is romance and love, but love is not always perfect. Sparks' books describe times of absolute joy, as well as the daily love, disappointment, life journey changes and adjustments we all experience in our own lives. There is also always a touch of sadness just as we all experience from time to time. In other words, his love stories are realistic. Two By Two is no exception. 


Synopsis


Two By Two, published in 2016,  is about an ordinary guy – Russell Green – who has everything a man could want ~ a successful career as an advertising executive, a beautiful wife (Vivian) and an adorable six-year-old daughter, London. They live in Charlotte, North Carolina. Russ is living the Dream, or so he thought. Suddenly he finds that the life he took for granted has turned upside down. In just a few months Russ finds himself without a job, his wife leaves him for a new job and exciting life with a real estate billionaire,  and he has become a single dad to daughter London. 

The story takes place over the space of a year which shows Russ struggling to adapt to a baffling new reality.  Trying to launch his own business while coping with the demise of his marriage, his days revolve around his daughter whom he tries to shelter from the consequences of these changes. His close relationship with his wise older sister, Marge and her partner, Liz, and his loving parents help sustain him during the emotional roller-coaster he finds himself on.


Little girl walking down a country lane holding a large teddy bear
Source: Pixabay


“Friendship isn’t about how long you know someone. It’s about who walks into your life, says ‘I’m here for you,’ and then proves it.”
  ~Nicholas Sparks, Two By Two


Throughout the story are short sections of memories of Russ' childhood and his close friendship with his sister, plus memories from collage days when a foolish one-night stand costs him the girl (Emily) he was in love with. 

When a chance encounter with an old flame tempts him to take a second chance on love he finally learns that unconditional love is a treasure to be bestowed, never earned. 


Happiness Comes From Within pillow
Pillow Cover by pure_soul on Zazzle


“Happiness isn’t something someone can deliver. It comes from within.”
~Nicholas Sparks, Two By Two



Author Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks, Author
Nicholas Sparks, Author

Nicholas Sparks is a romance novelist with 20 (to date) novels to his credit and two non-fiction books. He is also a screen writer. Several of his novels have become international best sellers and 11 of these stories have become films.  Probably his best known are “Message in a Bottle” and “The Notebook”. Almost all his stories are placed in a North Carolina setting, many of them along the coastal areas. Nicholas lives in North Carolina. 

His latest book just published in 2018 is Every Breath



Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks book cover
Available on Amazon



For more book reviews, go to 




(c) Wednesday Elf 4/27/2019




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Friday, April 26, 2019

The Puzzle of Talking Rock: Roni Rainer Mysteries Book Reviewed

The Puzzle of Talking Rock Book Reviewed The Puzzle of Talking Rock
(Roni Rainer Mysteries Book 3) 


When you discover a fabulous new author, you can hardly wait for their next book to be released! That is definitely the case with Beverly Owens and her Roni Rainer Mysteries.

I downloaded The Puzzle of Talking Rock the very minute I heard it had been published.   Unfortunately, I had to wait a few days to start reading it because I was in the middle of another book.  Admittedly, I think I raced through the book I was reading so I could start reading the latest in the Roni Rainer Mystery series.

In the first two books, Death Takes A Spin: An Up-cycling Mystery Reviewed and Illegal Harvest: An Up-cycling Mystery Reviewed, readers were introduced to Roni and her fun, yet somewhat eccentric, employees, friends and family. 
  

Main Characters in the Roni Rainer Series Include:

Veronica (Roni) Rainer - up-cycler store owner, divorced mother of 2 (Melanie & Madison) 
Kitchi - insightful friend & confidante, more like a grandfather to Roni
Mitch Denton - boyfriend and detective
Clay - delightfully animated and fun employee
Charlotte - employee with artistic eye for up-cycling
Valerie - best friend & lawyer
 


The Puzzle of Talking Rock Synopsis


 The Puzzle of Talking Rock: Roni Rainer MysteriesCheck PriceThe book opens with Roni hiking up the mountain to her favorite refuse from the world, Talking Rock.  However, peace and serenity are not going to be her companions today.  Unfortunately, when she reaches her destination, she immediately senses something is not right.  Then she discovers the body of the communities gentle giant, Calvin Yorke.  It is clearly a murder since the taser prongs are still connected to his chest.  Whether the murder was accidental or premeditated is not immediately clear.  Roni calls the sheriffs office to report the death, then waits for Mitch and his fellow officers to respond. 

All the normal questions follow during the investigation to find the who, what & why of the murder.  Neither Roni nor Mitch can fathom any reason why someone would want to kill such an easygoing, well liked, kind man.  Was it personal or related to his occupation?  Known mostly for his gentle nature and love of rocks, Calvin doesn't have any bad habits or suspicious behaviors that would make him a likely candidate for murder.  

As the investigation continues, we find out there are witnesses.  One very unlikely "witness" has seen the murder and can identify the killer(s), but she doesn't understand the meaning or recognize the people revealed to her in a dream.  Without her help, it is doubtful the crime would have been solved.

Of course, I now know all of the answers to who & why, but you will need to read the book yourself to find out what happened to Calvin Yorke.



 

 Death Takes A Spin: An Up-cycling Mystery (Roni Rainer Mysteries Book 1)Check Price Illegal Harvest: An Up-cycling Mystery (Roni Rainer Mysteries
Book 2)
Check Price
 The Puzzle of Talking Rock: Roni Rainer MysteriesCheck Price Missing In Beaver Falls (Roni Rainer Mysteries)Check Price

 



Read More Book Reviews at
ReviewThisBooks.com




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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, April 25, 2019

Review of Texturing Technique in Photoshop

Pink Daisy with texturing technique applied on photo by mbgphoto

A favorite technique of mine in Adobe Photoshop is texturing.  The photo above shows a photo of a flower with a textured background.  This photo is actually a combination of two different photographs that I shot.  The foreground is the daisy flower and the textured background is a photograph of my windshield with ice on it.  On this post I will review some of the steps needed to create this photo and then show some other photographs I created using this procedure.


Creating a Textured Background

There are many places online that you can buy textured backgrounds, but I like to create my own using parts of photographs that I have taken.  Here are a few from my library.  They include a couple of sky images, a brick wall, fire (from my fireplace) and the icy windshield that I used in the introductory photo.




photo background created by mbgphotophoto background created by mbgphotophoto background created by mbgphoto

photo background created by mbgphoto
photo background created by mbgphoto


Steps to Create Textured Photo Composite

The steps below are the ones I used to create my textured background images.  There are several different ways to do different procedures in PS(Photoshop) but these are the ones I find easiest for me.  I have never taken a class on PS, but rather have taught myself through the use of the tutorials on PS (great for the basics) and YouTube tutorials you can find online for many different specialty techniques.  Here then are the steps used to create the photo like the one at the top of this post.
  •   I first Open a background photo in PS. I used my icy windshield background for the photo at the top of this post. I also always make a duplicate copy of the background photo.
  • Next I click on file and then Place Embedded to select the photo that I want in the forefront.  In this case my daisy photo. The new photo will come in on top of the background photo and I will then stretch or reduce it to make it the same size as the background photo.
  • The next step is to pick out the area of the photo that you want to highlight.  In the case of the daisy photo I use the Quick Selection tool to outline the main daisy.  I then click the  button at the top that says Select and Mask.
  • This will open a new window that will give you the opportunity to use sliders to bring in as much of the background texture as you want.  Play with the sliders till you get the desired effect and click done.
  •   This will bring you back to the main screen where you will now click the little square at the bottom of the layers column that adds the layer mask.(when I first started I always got hung up because I forgot this important step.)
  • Next you will tweak the sliders for the layer mask to get exactly the effect you desire.
  • Now you just save your work and you have created a beautiful photo with a textured background.
  • This took a lot of practice for me to get all the steps right so don't get discouraged if at first you don't succeed.

    Samples of my Textured Background Photos

    pink daisies with brick background photo by mbgphoto
    Daisy  with Brick Wall Texture

    Eastern Bluebirds photo by mbgphoto
    Bluebirds with Sky Texture Background

    candle through lensball with textured background by mbgphoto
    Candle in Crystal Ball with Fire textured background

    Photoshop Texture Book on Amazon




 Zazzle Card with Textured Photo





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Can I Give Him My Eyes Book Review

Can I Give Him My Eyes Book Review
Can I Give Him My Eyes is a biographical book that was written by Richard Moore with the assistance of his long-time friend and supporter, Don Mullan. It tells the story of a ten-year old boy who loses his eyesight on May 4, 1972, on the way home from school when he is shot by a soldier during The Troubles in Ireland.

According to Moore’s book, he was just passing by when he was shot. The rubber bullets were supposed to be used to control crowds and riots but to this day Moore does not know why he was shot.

In any case, those rubber bullets, which were thought to be a relatively safe way of controlling riots, turned out to be more dangerous than anticipated. Moore survived being; other children did not.

If you would like a look at The Troubles in Ireland, this book will be a good education. I learned of it while on a trip to Ireland in 2018 during which I visited both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Of course, 2018 was a safe year to visit, unlike the years of the Northern Ireland Conflict, which spanned approximately 1968 to 1998. During those years there were riots, shootings and bombings almost every day. In the end, the conflict killed almost four thousand people and of course it also left many victims behind. The antagonism between the Irish Catholic population and the British army and especially the events of Bloody Sunday caused fear and hatred of the army from the people and no doubt fear and hatred in return. The tense atmosphere was likely the reason that Moore was shot despite the fact that he was a child passing by and not participating in a riot or public gathering.

Can I Give Him My Eyes is not just about the loss of Moore’s eyes. The catastrophe happens early on in the book, which is also about his journey in life, about how he learned to cope as a blind person, about the upheaval it caused his family and about how it changed and set the direction of his life.

Moore manages to accept the fact of his blindness almost right away. He carried forward no bitterness or anger, which he attributes to his parents who were peaceful and never spoke bitter or angry words. The Dalai Lama, who Moore eventually met and who Moore considers to be both a hero and a friend, once said and Moore agrees that, “Forgiveness is a gift to yourself.” Moore could have been bogged down by the event and the reality of being blinded but instead he moved on and let his situation propel him forward to experiences that he might not otherwise have ever had.

He has a university degree, has had two businesses, is a musician and, as a peace and reconciliation worker, started an organization called Children in Crossfire to help children in troubled situations around the world have opportunities that they might not otherwise have. He had lots of support and kindness as a child and as an adult and he wants to make sure that others in difficulty do, too.

Interestingly, Moore eventually goes on to meet the soldier who shot the rifle that injured him. They have become friends and they have even worked together. On the cover of Can I Give Him My Eyes, His Holiness the Dalia Lama, says, “I encourage people across the world to read what Richard has to say. Despite his own loss, he has found freedom through forgiveness.”

This book is RECOMMENDED by me. Not as a page turner but rather as a look at the troubled times in Ireland and at one man’s lifetime journey because of his injury. You can find your copy on Amazon by clicking right here.

See you
at the bookstore!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

Quick Links:


In the Name of the Father, Irish movie review.
My Left Foot, Irish movie review.






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