You Are My Sunshine (...on my darkest days...)

Oh, how sweet the light of day,
And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!
Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted.
Take delight in each light-filled hour,
Remembering that there will also be many dark days
And that most of what comes your way is smoke.

Ecclesiastes 11 : 7-8

Welcome to Digi Desserts Fridaze in connection with Cooking with Cricut / Paper CraftingWorld !  We, on the Design Team, were to create a project using a Digital File from CWC/PCW for today. 

Here is my card for this week – with a little background information following –

 I recently learned of a FREE (my favorite 4-letter-word!) program to be obtained Online that allows one to be able to make some interesting ‘actions/effects’ on your photos.  (Perfect Effects Free at www.ononesoftware.com)  I have played around with it a bit and decided I’d like to use the program on some of the photos I’ve found here and there and use the ‘changed’ outcomes on some cards or scrapbook layouts.  This week was a ‘perfect’ time to experiment with my Perfect Effects Free.

I had already been thinking/designing what I planned to make for this week’s Digi-project – a card to thank a faithful, Special Friend for always ‘being there’ for me during some hard times.   I’d thought to use the ‘You are My Sunshine ds’ and a photo.  Then yesterday I read a blog post by Ann Voskamp (www.aholyexperience.com - 10/23/12 – How to Live, Blog, Write) and today I read one by Emily Jones (http://jonesdesigncompany.com/thoughts/beating-a-dead-horse).  Both of these discussed, in essence, our need and freedom to ‘be real’ when we feel we can be - with whom we feel we can and to give others the benefit of the doubt – in that, no one knows what really goes on in another’s life – and it may not be as ‘perfect behind closed doors’ as it may seem on the outside…  Many things can be ‘staged’ for an online presence or even for those we know casually in life.  

I truly appreciate uplifting, positive blog posts and I know there is definitely a place for that kind of thinking and believing!  I do also know that many of our lives are very hard at times – for a variety of reasons and for various time periods.  I often get to feeling worse about things when I look around, read, see, feel that ‘everyone else has it all figured out’ and they don’t have or understand the struggles I have – even as I know I am a Daughter of the King and that He holds my life and me in His mighty hands.  The reality is that sometimes it’s just hard to ‘keep up a good front’ when there is unbearable pain in one’s life.  It’s wonderful to find even one friend with whom one can be ‘real.’  

This all just confirmed my thoughts for this project.  I wanted to use this photo that reminded me of the dark path some of us may have at times, but not in the colors ‘as is.’ 

 I wanted to use this digi-file that represents those who ARE this for us, but not in the colors ‘as is.’

 I first put the digi-file into Perfect Effects Free to see what options it might provide and after several trials decided on this color scheme.

 I then put the photo in the program to see which selection would go with it.  I came up with this –

I then put that photo into my Photoshop Elements 10 program.  I lightened the Saturation to the degree I desired, because I wanted it to be dim and ethereal.  I then set it to Print – sizing it to fit on the front of my card.  I printed it on beige cardstock.  I inked the edges of it, the dark brown cardstock and the card front with Gold ink.  I mounted the photo on dark brown cardstock and then onto the card.

I put the digi-file into my PSE 10 program.  I set it to print and sized it fairly small and printed it on beige cardstock, also.  I cut it out and used Glossy Accents on the features, rays and hearts for a bit of ‘sparkle.’   I cut two sets of petals from beige cardstock, using the ‘Sunflower xl cf’ in my SCAL2 program, sizing it just a bit larger than the sun.  I cut a mat of Burgundy cardstock to match the hearts on the sun.  I inked the edges of all pieces with Gold.  I attached them to each other and then to the card with PopDots to raise them up.  I’d cut the sentiment out, inked and mounted it on Burgundy, attaching it with PopDots.  

I typed the inside sentiment in MS WORD, printed it and then added some stamped leaves in Gold, varying the amount of ink to replicate the scattered leaves in the photo.    

I hope this all was clear, but if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.   ;-}

Another aspect of the two blog posts I discussed above was the thought that we should blog, not for personal glory, but to be used of God for His purpose – whatever that is for each of us.  I truly don’t know if anyone cares for what I offer here several times weekly.  I explained early on in my blogging days that I began this blog merely as a way to document some of what I do and to ‘get out’ some of what is ‘in me.’  I still don’t know where I am going with all of this or its ‘actual worth’ in the scheme of life.  I know that having lived this long, I do know how to do many things – most of them ‘self-taught.’  I know that I have always loved to TEACH and I hope someone learns something from what I do and share here.  I know that my life currently is ‘staged,’ much like the photos that many of us share Online, as touched on in the posts by Ann and Emily.  I know that I love taking the ashes of life and making things beautiful – adding  ‘An Elegant Touch…’ to all that I do.   What I also do know for sure is that I have been tremendously blessed – more than I could ever have anticipated – by those whom I have encountered in various ways this past few years!   Thank You for visiting today!  I appreciate it. 

Here is the FREE digi-file for this week at CWC/PCW.  Be sure to stop over there, if you haven’t already, see all of the other creative projects, get the file, make a project of your own using a digi-file from CWC/PCW and then link it there so we can see it, too!

We are also looking for more Design Team Members for our 25 Days of Christmas coming up soon!  See the info over there and contact Melin if you would be interested in joining Us!  ;-}