Picturetelling!

P + S: Bunnies and jellybeans or Jesus?

THE SETUP

I love Easter. It just blows my mind that God loves you and me SO MUCH that He sent His Son to Earth to be the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sins of the world and purifies us so we can be in a relationship with God, our Holy Father. 

(I am eating Easter candy right now, but) I'm sending you an Easter card that eschews images of the Easter Bunny, candy baskets, Easter eggs and baby chicks because I'm celebrating Christ's resurrection today, and His triumph over death.  Because Jesus overcame death, we can have eternal life with Him, if we believe in His power to save us, too.  What an amazing and reassuring promise!  Truly a reason to celebrate!

(Max Lucado has put out two fantastic and easy to follow books about God's gifts of grace and salvation. They're "In the Grip of Grace", and "3:16, the Numbers of Hope".  He writes with a lot of entertaining metaphors and parables, and makes tough-to-understand topics clear.)

THE PICTURE

True Hope Christian Fellowship, Forest Grove, OR, awash in sunlight! 
 

THE STORY

This photo was a total accident--or should I say surprise?  I only saw the front of my church in my viewfinder; I didn't see all those rays shining down! 

Whenever I see a painting or a landscape photo with the vibrant sun pouring out of the clouds, I'll call it a "God picture" because it reminds me of art I've seen of the Ascension or the Second Coming of Christ.  I used this photo in my card because It looks like a WONDERFUL, bright, God picture, full of promise! 

 

 

THE DETAILS

I whipped this card up in less than 30 minutes.  This time I used my St. Patrick's Day card as a template, and I swapped out the paper, put braid in place of the lace, changed the angle of my drop shadow, and used a different font for the Bible verse.  I used a picture frame this time to enclose the picture, too.  I could print this out with my printer, but I only need an e-card again today.   My Heritage Makers online Premier account has 45,000 pieces of digital art and amazing effects tools that helped me change my St. Patrick's Day card to an Easter card.

I'd be glad to send you a FREE video tutorial for this Easter postcard if you email me at donna@sharefamilystories.com.  Just put EASTER CARD in the subject line, and I'll also give you my template, which is the completed St. Patrick's Day card.  This tutorial is much shorter, because the design was already developed, so you're just swapping out elements.  If you sign up for a free Heritage Makers account, I'll put an invitation (2-sided postcard) in your account!  Invitations are better than postcards, because the company will address your envelopes and mail them out for you!
  
I hope your Easter was wonderful!!

P + S IS BEST! ~Donna

Oregonian Photo Contest--Love

The Oregonian Newspaper has regular photo contests for amateurs--I can't believe I've never shared this before.

Here's today's article showcasing the winners of the LOVE theme. http://www.oregonlive.com/photo-contest/index.ssf/2010/03/love_photo_contest_readers_edi.html This link also outlines past and present contests, and features themed photo galleries. Check it out, and get involved!

Let me know about other photo contests and I'll post them here.

You'll notice the winning photos are also paired with short stories--

P + S is best! ~Donna

P + S: Personifying Flowers--A Crocus Choir

THE SETUP

A few posts ago I introduced you to the lone crocus that had already emerged in my yard.  It's not alone any more!  When I went out to get a closer look at my early spring blooms, I couldn't help seeing them as people!  Crocuses are just so perky, they looked active.

THE PICTURES

If you were just flipping through a stack of my photos and you came upon these, would they spark your imagination?  Would you instinctively know how they sparked mine?  I don't think you could read my mind. 

You don't need my story, especially if these pictures are a visual metaphor for you.  But if these are "just a pretty/dull sequence" of floral photos to you, maybe I can tweak the way you see them with a few lines of text.  Ready to see if you see what I see?

THE STORIES

TOP: I see these as A trio of vocalists with their backup singers.  The Supremes backed by a Gospel choir.  The Andrews Sisters accompanied by USO singers.  The "3 Tenors" with an operatic choir.  Carol, Marsha, and Jan Brady entertaining the geriatric crowd, backed by Alice, Mike Brady, and the boys.  Mama Mia's 3 aging divas performing while the village folk all chime in.  Can you see it?  They're swaying; harmonizing at a climactic part of the song...

RIGHT: The Featured Trio.  Crooners.  Soulfully singing their hearts out.  Blending their voices.  Howling at the moon.

BOTTOM: The chorus.  Rock concert audience.  Partiers: "Happy Birthday to You...".  Revelers: "To auld acquaintance be forgot.."  The Osmonds.  Crowding around, up on tiptoe, trying to see, singing out to be heard, mouths wide open, uvulas quavering, holding that last note...

 

Isn't it fun personifying flowers?  Here's one more:

BUDDING DAFFODILS ON PARADE

"They're on the way..."

"WHY WOULD I DO THIS?"

It's just another way to make your scrapbooks, digital storybooks, garden journals, vacation photojournals, greeting cards, calendars, coasters, etc. FUN.  Gardeners take pride in their gardens; homeowners take pride in their property; nature photographers delight in the details of their subjects.  Sometimes the photos evoke a reaction that has us personifying nature--for instance, describing plants like people.  SO USE THAT! 

Email me to get help making one of those projects.  I will sign you up for a free Heritage Makers account if you email me. 

When you document your life with P + S, there are no rules--IMAGINATION RULES!

P + S IS BEST!  ~Donna
 

P + S: I've seen the first flower!

THE SETUP

Here in the Portland area we're all craving signs of better weather, since this is the rainy season.   I'm excited because I saw my preview of Spring yesterday morning!

 

THE PICTURES

 
Can you tell why I took this picture?

 
This one?

 

HERE'S THE PICTALE

 I spotted a happy sight when I let the cat out and walked past the porch railing.  Through the branches of a naked shrub, there it was--a single crocus sprouting out of the soil!  It's the first flower I've seen in my yard, and at this time, it's the only one--I circled the house to check!

I had to see it up close.  It wasn't in bloom yet, but would be soon!  This was a flower after my own heart!  An impatient, impulsive sort; a rebel with plans of its own!  It wasn't going to be part of the crowd, but a groundbreaker!  And to me, it was announcing the approach of Spring.  For the past two days we've had some beautiful sunshine, so I'm encouraged!

 

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN PRESERVE A MOOD?

Since I was so excited that I noticed this flower, I chose to preserve the thrill in a Heritage Makers  family fold.  That's a multi-paneled card that can show several pictures, and stand on its own because it's folded accordion style.  With pictures AND a little story, I'll have a permanent record of this moment that I can display for a daily reminder of the scents and lush landscapes, warmer temps and sunshine to come.

Although I have to wait to receive my family fold in the mail, I made a mock-up of one so you can see how it will look--I don't want to have to wait 10 days to show it to you!  (Don't be distracted by the red fold lines--those don't appear on the actual printed card.)

The yellow text says, "The first crocus of 2010!"  I decided I'd better highlight that with an outline before I published the actual card, because it doesn't show up well in the sample.
 

Isn't this a great quote by Audra Foveo?  Sorry the artwork (it's a crocus!) is obscured by glare.

Do you know if other companies make multi-paneled cards?  I'd love to know if any do.  Please email me if you know of any, OK?

You can make 3-, 5-, or 7-paneled Family Folds at www.sharefamilystories.com.  Set up your free account today, and I'll send you a free tutorial that shows you how to make a family fold from a template.  I'll also give you this original template that you can make about any memorable event.  There's so much artwork in your Heritage Makers account that you can change the digital paper, the text, the photo borders; there's even a quote library, so you can change the quote!

P + S is best for preserving a mood!  ~Donna

P + S: Taking Action for Peace, MLK Day

THE SETUP

Huge doves in the park, wings flapping!  A beautiful, crisp day in Forest Grove, Oregon, and my husband and I returned home from our morning exercise to see these huge doves in the neighborhood park!  We thought they probably had something to do with the MLK holiday.

THE PICTURES

There was a nice crowd in the park, made up of all ages.  I actually took my pictures so that the people were featured,too, but I cropped this one so I could focus the eye on the doves.  In a photo for the organization's newletter, or for parent pride, you would probably want the people involved to be more prominent, as in the photo below.     

THE STORY

When I asked one of the adults about the assembly, I learned that they were participating in a Peace March that would end at Pacific University, where a program was being held in remembrance of Martin Luther King.  

The crowd was enthusiastic, but small, so these adults and children need to be commended for taking a stand for peace, and making a visible presence in the heart of our little town.  They easily could have taken their day off from work and school to play and relax, but they chose to take action to promote peace, on this holiday that's set to remind us of Dr. Martin Luther King's principles of peaceful activism and due respect and opportunity for all people.

I ran into a mom whose daughter was manipulating one of the poles, and when she asked me if I was marching, I declined.  But when I got home, I realized, sadly, that I had been offered an opportunity to take some overt action for an important value, and I squandered it.  Shame on me, for my apathy. 

A NICE REMEMBRANCE/ REMINDER OF VALUES

Participation in this kind of event is something to be proud of.  A poster is an inexpensive way to commemorate the moment, or a postcard mailed to the grandparents lets the grandkids boast about being social activists for a positive cause.  Click here to look at a postcard of this event that even a child can make!  They actually have fun rounding photo corners, adding colored borders, and finding embellishments.  This project is a 2-sided postcard and the company will address the envelope and mail the postcard for you!  You can e-mail me to learn how to make one yourself.

Were you part of a Peace March today, or ever?  Click on the comment box, below, to share your experience!  I'll give a 2-sided postcard to the first 5 commenters.  That could be you!

P + S is best!  ~Donna

P + S: Rose Bowl Allegiance

THE PHOTOS

    

THE SET-UP

Oregon residents are ecstatic that the University of Oregon Ducks made it to the Rose Bowl this year!  Everyone, where I live, is behind Oregon today!  ...And I'm an Ohio State graduate, and fan.

THE STORY

It may look like I'm wussing-out by hanging my OSU sweatshirt and UO colors together--afraid that my house would be egged if show my allegiance to the Buckeyes--but the truth is, I'm interested in this game, and I'll be happy for the team that wins as long as it's a good game.  I'm always excited by Ohio State football, and this year I'm also caught up in the local frenzy of Oregon pride.  So, GO BUCKS! GO DUCKS!  Play well and take it down to the wire--make it a good game!

Why tell the story?  It's a snapshot of a special day in Oregon sports history, which could be misinterpreted by my friends and neighbors today, and mean nothing when my grandchildren find it.  Is it important?  Probably not to preserve; my grandchildren don't need to know that I didn't care who won the Rose Bowl in 2010.  But I'm sharing it on my facebook page today so people understand that I'm rooting for a good game, and I'm excited for BOTH TEAMS!

Happy New Year!  Be safe.  And when you take your pictures today or you upload your pictures from last night's festivities, consider making a digital scrapbook storybook so you can give the pictures some personality with details about the people, places, and events you felt like capturing in photos.  Heritage Makers has several ways you can document your New Years celebrations, as do Snapfish, Shutterfly, My Publisher, Walgreens.com, and other sites.  I can help you decide how to showcase your pictales if you email me.

P + S is BEST!

~Donna