The cost of cosmetics has just come down!!

I am always so frustrated when my blush, powder or eye shadow gets low and crumbles. I have found myself holding on to the compact for ages, too cheap to throw it out, not creative enough to figure out what to do. 

A while ago I read about reviving those bits and pieces of powder into a usable form. Seemed plausible, so I though I would give it a shot. 

Geneaology

For years I have heard stories from various family members about aunt "so-and-so", cousin "you-know-who-I-mean", great-grandma "the-one-who-lived-down-the-street-from-aunt-what's-her-name" and although the stories have helped to paint a picture of my ancestors they are just snapshots in their lives. So recently my father and I decided to split a subscription to Ancestry.com so that we both could learn more about our ancestors and thereby maybe learn more about ourselves.

 

It has also given me an opportunity to talk with my folks and share the great wealth of pictures, ephemera and stories that they have compiled over the years. The above pictures are of the house in Cuba, Iowa where my great-grandparents lived with my grandfather. The homes in this area no longer even exist, from what I can tell and except for the cemetery and some remnants of foundations there is nothing left. Although it is hard to see there are flowers in the front of the house that my great grandmother must have tended, is this maybe where I got my love of gardening from?

The bottom image is of my grandfather and my uncle taken in the 1920s . Funny how I can see my dad and brother in both of the faces, and if I look just right, and squint my eyes I can see my son. Sorry M, no images for you yet, we haven't started working on the side of the family YOU look like.

It has been an interesting journey so far and I would encourage you to take the time to explore your roots before the folks who can help unlock the secrets of the past are gone.

Today's Project, Make a First Blog Post

For quite some time I have wanted to learn how to blog. Now that I am laid up from a recent surgery I am using the time to start. This is my first post adventure!

I have just finished a Digital Montage class with  Cynthia Powell. It was a really enjoyable class which helped me to refine some of Photoshop skills and gave me quite a bit of practice working with layers, brushes, extraction, and textures. I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in this to take a class with her. She is very attentive, patient and thorough. This is my "class project", which is compilation of 4 images, 2 textures, and a poem about spring. Dawn