Some time ago I downloaded Inkscape, a free “Open Source vector graphics editor, with capabilities similar to Illustrator and CorelDraw”. I hate learning new things and because I’m so familiar with PSP, I wasn’t really willing to give Inkscape a try. But I opened the program, tried some things, made a mess, closed it again and forgot about it :p
Until I found verysimpledesigns.com, a site with such a cute doll tutorial, I just HAD to make it. Me wanting the doll was stronger than me hating Inkscape, so I opened the program again and started reading the tutorial.
During the tutorial I found feats I loved! Aligning objects is a breeze, filling and changing colors is so easy (that is, after I found out what I was doing wrong about 100 times :p). It took me a few hours to finish the tut. And I looove my doll – even though she’s not perfect. But for a first try, it’ll do! 🙂
I already saw several other tuts I want to try. For now, here’s my Kokeshi doll:
A dear friend of mine recently learned that she has cancer in the final stage.
She keeps a blog which she updates daily, in the most optimistic and realistic way. I admire her for that. It’s almost as if she feels she has to support and comfort us – her family and friends – who are devastated. Of course she has her ‘off’ moments too, but overall it’s a positive blog. She’s enjoying the simple things, the birds in the sky, ducks in the pond, sunshine on her face when she lies on the couch and she’s grateful for all the help she gets. She doesn’t understand that everyone is grateful for being able to do something, instead of standing there feeling helpless.
Last week I visited her, it felt strange. Familiar, as a friend of almost 25 years, yet so awkward, as there is no ‘us’ in the future, just me.
What hit me most was the change in her. She was there, talking about the good and the bad, sometimes smiling, but her eyes were… empty, as if her soul had already left. I think that hurt me most. To be with her, yet not.
We hugged when I left and I said: I’ll come back again soon… hold on, take care.
Regular visitors of my blog will know that I’m a huge musical fan and I love the TV-searches for the lead in a musical. This year they were searching for the – very first – Dutch Mary Poppins. The musical has never been staged here and Manon, Sabine and I were looking forward to the program. Mixed feelings now as the series came to an end yesterday, but… our favourite won! We either have a common taste in singers or just a good nose to pick the right one as we’ve never been wrong before (in Holland, nor in the UK).
We want to go see the show for sure, so I hope my bank account will grow miraculously :p
Here is Noortje Herlaar, in her first performance dressed as Mary – right after she was announced the winner.
Enjoy!
Be gentle people, this is the first full tutorial that I’ve written and I have to admit, writing tutorials is harder than it looks. Many many thanks to all the people who put tutorials online! I would never have learned how to use PSP, without those tutorials. I’m quite comfortable with PSP now, but I know there’s still a lot to learn, so keep those tuts coming!
As I love to pass on my knowledge, here’s a tutorial by me. I use PSP X2, but I’m sure it can be done with other versions as well. Although I don’t know if all versions have the ability to put dropshadows on a new layer – a feature I absolute LOVE – the tutorial can be done without it.
Last month – which seems ages ago now – I asked for layouts made with my graphics and Judith replied with the following Winter layout:
No Photoshop or PSP, it’s made on a Macbook. It’s hard to believe that it’s her first layout ever! Great job Judith, the way you split the picture and put it in two frames is awesome! Thank you so much for sending it to me! I don’t think you have a website, but if you do, send me the url, so I can link back to you 🙂
