A Horse, of Course

I thought this was fun. I converted this photo to black and white to give it the "aged" look. It was taken on the beach in Galveston, which is just about an hour’s drive outside of Houston.

Can you believe it? There are horses for rent on the beach!

Hightailing it to Houston

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I will be in Houston on business (and for a little fun) today through Thursday, March 6. Watch for updates and photos about the fourth largest city in the U.S. on my blog this week. And by all means, call if you need something.

Happy Friday everyone!

Photoshop Tip

I’m in the midst of work on a memoir. In addition to the writing, the job involves both layout (for a printed hardback version) and retouching/enhancing some old photographs.

Anyway, thought I would pause to share a Photoshop trick that has proven handy on assignments such as these.

If you are at all interested in straying from the long “identifiers” in photo captions, listen up. These few simple steps (using CS3) will teach you how to highlight a single face in a group photograph.

1. With your photograph imported and open in Photoshop, find the elliptical marquee tool (left hand toolbar, second from the top). You might need to right click to find it. The default setting typically shows the rectangular marquee tool.
2. Click on the tool. Find the face in the photograph you want to highlight. Left click as you draw an oval over the face. Use your arrow keys to center appropriately.
3. Click “select” on the drop down menu at the top of the screen. Scroll down and click on “inverse.”
4. Go back to the drop down menu, click on “image,” scroll down to “adjustments” and click on “curves.”
5. Use your curser to pull down the line in the middle of the graph (as you view the photo). We you start to see the face popping (IE: the head will stay light and everything around it will get darker) stop and hit “ok.”
6. Go to the drop down menu again, click on “select,” scroll down and click on “deselect.”
7. Save and you are finished! Here is an example of how it might look. Enjoy the new trick!

Guess Who?

Here is something to cheer up your Friday. Guess who?

Though I was disguised as a dirty blonde for a few of my younger years, this is in fact a photograph of me. It was taken at about age 3 ½.

Why the old photo? Well, I have been working to compile a few childhood pictures to share with guests at our rehearsal dinner. I always love to see this stuff when I go to weddings :)

Anyway, it has been hilarious looking back at both Kevin and me as kids. Thought I would share.

Oh, and just for fun. Here is a photo of my beau about the same age as the above image.


Ha, ha … Gotta love it!!

While we are on the subject ....

Here is a great example of another very public mistake (see previous post comments). I actually put this picture on my site. Yes, I love it that much :)

I saw it the summer of 2006 on a camping trip in the N.C. mountains. I was actually at the tiny pottery shop in search of a gift for my mother. Didn't find anything, but this little beauty made the stop all worth it. Glad I had my camera. Too funny!!

Great Grammar ...

So I felt the sudden compulsion to pause from proofreading copy to share a few of the top mistakes that pass over my desk.

No this is not to pick on my clients (well maybe a little). No, really I see these mistakes everywhere. All are easy to fix, just break a moment to commit them to memory.

Here goes:

1. The first most widely seen offense is related to punctuation. If you are using quotation marks please, by all means, put your punctuation inside the quotation.
2. The following words are confused a LOT. First on the list, their, there and they’re. Remember, there is an adverb specifying place or location. Their is a possessive pronoun signifying something belongs to more than one person. They’re is the contraction of they are. A good rule here – ask yourself if the sentence will make sense to you when you replace they’re with they are.
3. Oh, and the list could definitely not be complete without this combo: its vs. it's.Its is a possessive pronoun showing something belongs to “it.” (see also how I used the period inside the quotation). For example: The book has a colorful photo on its cover.It’s is a contraction of “it is.” For example: It’s sunny out today.
4. If you are using commas, stick to these three rules. First, use a comma before a coordinating conjunction like “and,” “but,” or “or” that joins independent clauses. Second, use a comma between two or more adjectives that each modify a noun separately, called coordinate adjectives. Third, use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause. These introductory phrases often establish setting, either time or location.
5. Making nouns possessive. For singular, follow this example (the cat’s collar), and for plural (the six dogs’ home).
   

Wowweee! Do you have all that? Since I'm running a bit long, I will stop my rants for today. Maybe I will feel compelled to pick up again later. Trust me, there are plenty more :)

Cool Chix

I met in a quaint Raleigh photography studio recently with a few ladies who are part of the non-profit organization, Chix in Business. The women and the group are the topic for a profile for Triangle Catalyst Magazine.

Geared toward the female professional, the group is a little different than other similar organizations. These women are quirky, kind-hearted and most importantly, friendly. They are not trying to stuff their business cards in your pocket before learning your name and a bit about you. Congratulations on 10 years, ladies!!

Fun With Flowers

There have been many times – since my boyfriend's surprise proposal on a sunny beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico in May – strangers and loved ones have labeled me an untraditional bride. I guess I can kind of agree.

From a barefoot oceanfront ceremony to a cake less outdoor reception, I have hit my family and friends with a few bombshells. The latest ... no florist. I thought it might be more special if we just made our own bouquets ... with flowers from the grocery store. I know, terrible right? Well, my mom flew down to help with a few wedding items, and we decided to try our hand at creating the grocery store bridal bouquet.

I love simple flowers, so you will see no roses or orchids here. Though we still have to finish wrapping the stems with ribbon and pinning them, I am pretty pleased with our first attempts.

I just love the beads we picked out to hang from the bouquet.

Love the colors. Simple, but elegant.

This is actually the side to one of several boxes I made to hold cards, sunscreen, etc... for the reception.

A little fun with Photoshop. Not sure if I love it yet. The photo is of my mother as seen through the handle of the starfish card box.

Thanks again, Mom, for indulging me on the flower bit!

Facility of the Year Award

For a few days in November I worked closely with a few clients in Clayton – spending time sifting through documents to begin the task of compiling information to submit to the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering. ISPE, INTERPHEX, and Pharmaceutical Processing Magazine hold an annual competition that honors one firm in the world with the Facility of the Year Award. Recipients are state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing projects that use new and innovative technologies to enhance the delivery of a quality project, as well as reduce the cost of producing high-quality medicines.

NNE Pharmaplan, an engineering firm in Clayton, contracted me to assist them with the written portion of the submission after NNE (and others)collaborated to complete a 30-month expansion project on Novo Nordisk’s Clayton plant. The expansion allowed Novo Nordisk to begin making FlexPen, a compact device that delivers insulin to diabetics. As a result of the 200,000 square foot expansion, the company became the only supplier of FlexPen in the U.S. and doubled its production capacity.

I have truly enjoyed the work done so far with these guys and gals. I especially liked suiting up in booties, a hair net, safety goggles, and gown to tour the facility while conducting my interview with the production manager. What an amazing plant. Cannot wait to start in on things again in February, guys!

The Urban Sophisticates

Sharp lyrics, smooth vocals, and a great blend of brass, guitar, bass, and drums, that’s what several fans have said about the music of The Urban Sophisticates. Not too long ago the Greensboro-based hip-hop band won the Disc Makers Independent Music World Series Southeast Showcase.

I will be sitting down with these guys soon for an interview to weave together facts and color for my next magazine feature. Check out their music at www.theurbansophisticates.com.

Winter Fun

We had a little winter fun over our Christmas break in Michigan. Here are a few shots from our sledding trips. You sure cannot do stuff like this in Raleigh!

Kevin gets some serious air ...

but makes a painful landing.

Cousins Baine and Devin enjoy a break on the tubes at Echo Valley. We spent the day tearing down the tubing hills and roaring down toboggan runs that reach speeds of 60 mph.

A shot just moments before another rough ride down the hill for Kevin.

Control is lost ...

And he is down.

Winter Wonderland

Ahhhhh, Christmas in Michigan. Plenty of slippery roads, cold temperatures and snowy weather I decided to venture out in. Here are a few of my wintery shots.

Memories

MEMORIES
Memories are heartbeats
Sounding through the years
Echoes never fading
Of our smiles and our tears.

Moments that are captured
Sometimes unaware
Pictured in an album
Or a lock of hair.

Images that linger
Deep within the mind
Bit of verse we cherished
Once upon a time.

Through the musty hallways
Of the days we knew
Ever comes the vision
Beautiful and true.

Memories are roses
Blooming evermore
Full of fragrant sweetness
Never known before.

Life must have a meaning
Goals for which to strive
Memories are lights that burn
To keep the heart alive.

--Grace E. Easley


I ran across this poem in the midst of a project. I just LOVE it!!! Had to share.

The Lux Life

For the last few weeks I have been working on the final portion of the cover story for the February issue of Triangle Catalyst Magazine. Finally, we are getting close to the end!

The feature piece is about 2,000 words and highlights downtown living in Raleigh and Durham. You know, the old tobacco warehouses and cotton mill’s turned lofts and the luxury high rise condos with all the bells and whistles. Really, it covers what is out there to buy now, what’s in the works and what they all have to offer.

I have really enjoyed this assignment. Some of these properties are so unique. You have some with concrete floors still baring the marks from earlier days as a paint shop. Others with freight elevators, rooftop pools, even meals catered to your condo or loft from the swanky restaurant in the lobby. Best of all, these options are all within walking distance of shops, restaurants and bars.

It really makes you think … is there any reason to get that home with the white picket fence and big backyard???? Who wants to mow lawn on the weekends when you could be enjoying a swim in a pool overlooking the city?

The main factor ...If you are not scared to pay $220,000+ for one or two bedrooms or even $1.2 million than antee up!