Photo Papers Freebie

Found a fun challenge over at ASDSdesigners.com: make papers using public domain images (I used the 6 they suggested from publicdomainimages.net). It was a fun and challenging couple of hours, and here are the results [no longer available, sorry]:



It's not as easy as you might think, especially as the initial photos are quite small (about 3x5 @ 300 dpi). Here are some close-ups:



I don't like all my solutions equally, but I'm pretty pleased overall... =)

In other news, my Ooh la la, Artsy! Shop! is going to be changing from an immediate download link to a simple paypal link, and I'll e-mail customers when I get notification of payment (or within 24 hrs). I know immediate gratification is expected nowadays, but since nobody's really shopping, I can't afford the fees for the service that generates those (e-junkies). I guess I don't have to worry about it too much, since nobody's shopping! =)

In other other news, I'm just now getting over a major bronchitis--courtesy of little Allen, who got sick from playing with little Andrew, who picked it up who knows where. Isn't sharing nice?

In the third other news, here's a recent layout that's full of peace, which I sorely needed this weekend (everything's mine, except for the button from Vinnie Pearce's Freebie Thank You Kit; fonts Distro Light & Father Nelson):



Journaling reads:

sometimes this is life


the shore we are crossing to
is shrouded in fog
and the goal is yet up another
steep cliff
and even the path there
is slippery and wet
and mostly just cobbled together
and you’ll really have to
pay attention


if you don’t want the icy shock
of reality to soak through your shoes


but also


don’t forget to stop
and let the mist bless your hair
with its tiny moist sparkles
and marvel at how the beauty
flows together so well
and realize that you’re standing
right in the middle of it all

Interesting that I feel able to complement my poetry through this medium; in general I dislike movies made from books, for example, as I always feel my imagination is capable of generating far more intense visuals than film. In the case of poetry, however--as wide open as it can be to different interpretations--the photographs, as well as the specific choice of elements to accompany them, contribute towards a guided reading that more intimately suits my needs; the need to be understood, the need for empathy, the need for resonance.

Ok, ok, I'll stop with the high-falutin' analysis already. ;) Hope everybody's having a great weekend!