Fun with Photoshop

I couldn't sleep last night so I decided to redecorate a stranger's home.  I looked online for a listed house that was unfurnished (easier to edit) and found this 1980 Texas split-level with amazing Mexican hex tile.  The same tile was used throughout the ground floor of my dad's hotel when I was growing up, and I always thought it was so cool.

Here are the original pics of the listing followed by my magic!

This would be such an inexpensive update!  Paint the walls a warm white, paint the built-ins (I had to just grab some image online because I couldn't figure out how to change the color of the wood), remove the mirrored wall and replace with some accent wall paper that mimics the geometric floor, replace the two ceiling fans with Mediterranean-style lighting and keep the stained molding.  I actually would totally keep the molding around the window too but it was too difficult to keep it in the edit.  I love the nailhead trim on the club chairs but the leather ottoman is weird in the light of day.  Maybe a big barn wood coffee table would be great.

 

Can't tell what you're seeing up there?  That weird wrought iron thing next to the stairs actually looks through to the floor of the kitchen.  I wonder if that was original to the house?  It's so strange.  Cover it up with a big ol' vintage map of Texas and maybe some wainscoting on the other side in the kitchen.

How great is the existing woodwork and the tiling on the wet bar?  I added the same geo wall paper to the inside of the bar and replaced the mirrored back with more decorative tile.  It's a little much but I had fun playing with it.  Maybe some colorful glass tiles with some metallics mixed in to mirror the aluminum bull skull on the opposite wall... I keep forgetting this isn't real life! :)

I just did this to pass time but it turned out so pretty that I had to share it!  Of course it's completely wonky and the later the night went on the more sloppy I got with the editing, but I'm so into this style that I just invented!  Does it have a name?

Somebody got married...

I blogged a lot about this wedding craft so I might as well post the results, huh?  I didn't get a good shot of the ring bearer's accessories, but if you look closely you can see the bow tie and his mom holding the ring pillow.  I also whipped up a headband for Kate using the first bow tie I attempted that came out too small.

I seem to remember snapping a photo of the guy who caught the garter sporting my hard work as a sweatband (I'm not making any sarcastic implications here; I was really excited when he displayed my handiwork!) but that photo does not exist on my camera.  I'm not surprised.  My friend, Mr. Cabernet, may have told me to delete it or it's possible he accidentally handed me someone else's camera.

It was such a beautiful, fun and unique wedding and I was happy to be a part of it!  Enjoy some more of the photos..

{Seniors} Graduation announcement

Little Mackenzie's all grown up!  The first time I held her I was wearing a hot pink wind suit and had a perm.  Now she's living it up at SMU.  You go, girl!

(I don't get the photo credit here, just the announcement design)

Paper fortune cookies

I used this idea to distribute verses to girls at the Confirmation retreat last January to supplement a talk I was giving.  The girls loved them and many of them actually placed their verses carefully back inside and tucked them away for safe keeping.

All you need is CD-sized pieces of paper, fortune strips and hot glue!

 Idea credit goes to 70 Piggies!  Go there for instructions.

Boy, do I miss the days of crafting in my Forever Lazy!  My husband, however, does not.

BCH Sports - They're on it!

For some reason I offered to take photos at Shotwell Stadium (a high school football field) in the middle of July because I thought the sports team needed some fresh promotional photos before the season started and because I wanted an excuse to rent a wide-angle lens.  It was more than 100 degrees outside, so we did this all in about 10 minutes.  I'm mostly pleased with how they turned out, but I would have spent a lot more time barking orders about who should stand where if it had been, oh, only 90 degrees.

I can't believe I forgot to use the flash to fill those facial shadows.  I hate flash photos with the exception of outdoors on bright days.  But what was I supposed to do, ask them to come back? :)

Kat in the Hat

Not to be redundant from the other blog, but here are a few photos I took last week for yarnaholics.etsy.com, in exchange for a discount off of the hat to go with Kate's Halloween costume, which remains a surprise! :)

Mila's Daydreams knockoff

If you haven't seen pictures of Mila's Daydreams, you should check them out.  Unfortunately Mila's mom's photos got "stolen" from her blog so quickly that she doesn't even have them up anymore, but they're still all over the internet.

Austin requested a picture of Kate for our anniversary, so using those photos as inspiration, here's what I ended up with!  I LOVE it.