July wrap up......Free Desktop Wallpaper, new blog & Winners!

I can't believe July is over! And as always, I would like to Thank You to all my readers, friends and family who have made TidyMom so much fun!!

So let's start off with announcing a few winners!!!

There were 3 winners from last week's awesome Sew Saucy Stitches Print Giveaway

Using Ramdom.org to choose the winners......


Congrats to #40 Jennifer, #48 ruthhill74 and #16 Anna Galvas

This would be the perfect time to remind everyone who is on blogger to PLEASE add your email to your profile!!! By doing that when you leave a comment on my blog (or anyone’s blog) I/they can reply to you. Did you ever notice how when some people comment on your blog you can reply to them, and to others you end up replying to No-Reply-Blogger address? I LOVE to reply to your comments, and so often I cant! It also makes it so much easier to contact you when you win a giveaway!! It's VERY easy to do......Darcy wrote a great little post on it......so I'm just going to send you over there......So EVERYONE RIGHT NOW.......head over to Darcy's and take a look at these steps and make sure you're Blogger/Google account is set up this way! PLEASE I BEG YOU!!.....Thank you kindly! :-)

Speaking of Giveaways........you have entered my HUGE Giveaway for a FREE Silhouette Craft Cutter haven't you?

{Click the picture if you haven't it!}

A Big *gushy* thanks to the top referrers to TidyMom in July....

1. Bake at 350
2. University of Cookie
3. How Does She
4. Hoosier Homemade
5. The Coupon Goddess
6. i am mommy
7. Living Locurto
8. 320 Sycamore
9. Centsational Girl
10. Reluctant Entertainer

And to all of the great people who help support TidyMom.net



I do have a few ad spots open for August......just send me an email if you're interested in working together!! tidymom{at}charter{dot}net


I'm still keeping up with my 365 project, though I'll have to admit....summer time has made it VERY difficult to keep up! I get my pictures taken, but some times I don't get my pictures loaded until a week later.

I've started a separate blog for my photography. It's mainly a place for my 365 pictures and other pictures I take! I love linking up to photography challenges and parties.....I thought it would be easier to do on another blog. I have not finished "fixing her all up" but I DID WIN a budget makeover from Adori Graphics on Amanda's Beautiful Blog Designs!! So I thought it was the perfect opportunity to start working on that site. Louise put together a fantastic blog header for me with some of my pictures and installed it for me.

If you'd like to take a peek.......TidyMomPhotography, as you can see I am WAY behind with uploading my 365 pictures..... the site was designed to "match"my new TidyMom.net makeover, so the photography siet is a sneak peek that new look!....don't you love the fresh new colors?....*remember, it's not finished yet, I have more elements to add

I will still post my monthly mosaics here, but if you wish to see more, you can follow me over on TidyMomPhotography



I'll wrap up this SUPER long post with a link to Julie of LeeLou Blogs super cute desktop wallpapers for August!!

Click the picture below to get your FREE August 2010 desktop theme like I did!!

Be sure to leave Julie a comment thanking her for her generosity!!


So that wraps up July!!.......School starts here on August 16! YIKES!! When does school start for you?

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Chicago Trip!

My girls and I returned from our trip to Chicago for Sunshine's 14th birthday a little over a week ago. We had way too much fun. We had been looking forward to this trip for quite a while and I can't believe that it has already come and gone.



We took the train.

It was our first time on an Amtrak train and we actually enjoyed the 5.5 hour ride from St. Louis.



The train station in St. Louis was VERY tiny, but Union Station in Chicago was huge and beautiful!! One thing that surprised me.....nothing, no luggage, no person NOTHING was scanned thru any kind of security.

There was a snack car on board, where you could get drinks, snacks even a sandwich or pizza. The snack car has tables, so occasionally we would sit in there and play cards.

Each seat on the train had a power outlet, that was nice for plugging in a computer, DVD player, or even charging your phone.

Like airline travel, purchasing your train tickets in advance is cheaper, and train tickets are much cheaper than airfare. An adult ticket round trip from St. Louis to Chicago was only $56!

We shopped the Magnificent Mile



Enjoyed GREAT food!!




Our favorites were Ed Debevics, Carson's Ribs and Bubba Gumps. Fantastic food and service at all of them!

Carson's Ribs is where we ate for Sunshine's birthday dinner, and she said it was her favorite part of the whole trip!!! The girls both had ribs and I had chicken.....all of it was incredible!

Shedd Aquarium did not disappoint!



Lot's of photo ops



We went up in the Sears/Willis Tower and Sky Deck, we took a Fireworks/Architectural cruise and we went to Navy Pier and took the water taxi over to Shedd Aquarium.
We LOVED Chicago



And I think the girls had a fabulous time!!



I can't believe it is over.

If you want to see all of the pictures I took (most have not been edited) but they're all in a flickr album here



Back to reality and house work!.........because

BRIDGET is coming to visit on Thursday!!!

pop over and read this NEW article about Bridget here!


Photo by David Hopper

Baking by Blog in Bridget's Kitchen (by Kim Morgan)

SOOOO......How about you?
Have you taken a vacation this summer?
Any fun visitors?
What has been the best part of your summer?

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Easy Photo Editing Tutorial {Guest Post-Amanda Padgett}

Meet Amanda! She is a "Pioneer Woman" of sorts, although, she says she's not nearly as talented, witty or culinarily gifted as the real one. Amanda grew up in the suburbs or on military bases, but ended up in the country on a cattle and chicken farm an hour from any sizeable town. She is an amazing stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to four children, ages 11 to 4.

Amanda and I really "clicked" as we started our photography journey about the same time, last spring, and it has quickly become a passion for both of us! Most of her subjects are her beautiful kids, the cows, her mother-in-law's flowers and her weeds ("they're prettier in a picture than in real life", she claims). She enjoys editing (with PSE 7) and continues to learn daily. The tutorials she writes are very basic and well documented so that brand new users can learn how to use their editing software. Amanda's tutorials have been an amazing resource for me!! I had owned PSE for years and rarely ever used it because I didn't know how.

Amanda has recently started Everyday Elements, online workshops and video tutorials for PSE users. Also, she has a photography resource blog, PhotographyHaven where you can find lots of free actions, tutorials, workshops and more. You can view her personal pictures at Moving Forward or her Flickr stream.

Today Amanda is going to share one of her basic tutorials that can be used for any picture!

*******************************

Hi there! I am thrilled to be guest posting here at TidyMom! Cheryl invited me to do a guest post and after my initial excitement, I started thinking about what to share. I tried to think of a quick, "tidy" trick to share with you and I hope this one hits the spot.

Whether you shoot with a DSLR or a point and shoot, I recommend getting some a photo editing program. There is so much you can do with your images, regardless of the camera used to capture them. The program I am using today is Photoshop Elements, but this tutorial will work in regular Photoshop (CS5 or earlier versions) just as well.

With almost every picture I edit, I do this edit trick which provides light while also boosting color and contrast.

Step 1: Open your image in PSE or PS. Create a Gradient Map adjustment layer by clicking on the half black/half white circle (see "1st"). Then choose 'Gradient Map.'


Step 2: Once the Gradient Map options pop up, navigate until you see the B&W option, click on it. If you don't see this menu, click where the * is and another fly-out menu will appear, then choose 'Default.'


Step 3: Click on the Blend Mode menu box (1st). A menu will either pop up or pop down. Choose 'Soft Light' (2nd).


Step 4: Lower the layer opacity to suit. For portraits, I usually lower this down to between 15% and 25%. For still life, I usually keep it higher.


Here is a before/after shot, with nothing else done to it, not even sharpening. I wanted to show the effect


Here is a little tidbit - I use this technique with 98% of my edits. Never right at the beginning, but usually before I finish with an image, I will have used it. I love it and I think it adds just the right amount of definition to most shots.

I hope you find this helpful. If you give it a try, let me know your blog address or Flickr stream so I can go take a peek.

*******************************

Thanks again Amanda, you are SOOOO generous with your knowledge and I learn something every time I talk to you or read one of your posts!!


Seriously people, if want to learn more about editing, head over to Amanda's sites and even consider taking some of her online workshops, they're VERY affordable and you will be amazed at how much you will learn!! The Everyday Elements Facebook page is another thing you don't want to miss........she has been known to "give out" free actions and more to those who "like" her!!

This tip "works for me".....so I'm linking up at We Are That Family's Works For Me Wednesday

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Winners, June round up and blog news

First, I have a few winners to announce........

Button of Hope Giveaway

Congrats to :

16. Kayla said...

"I made a tweet! Also, Cancer has hit home twice in my immediate family which is why I now am a nurse!"

Send me an email Kay with your information and I will pass it on to Cindy so she can get you a pair of earrings, a set of hair pins and a necklace, of your choice

Flirty Apron Giveaway

Congrats goes out to:

74. Tracy said...

"I love the Sweet Sunshine one...so cute!!"

Tracy, I've already sent your information to Flirty Aprons.

***********

A Big *gushy* thanks to the top referrers to TidyMom in June....

Bake at 350

Reluctant Entertainer

University of Cookie

Hoosier Homemade

How Does She

We Are That Family

Food Gawker

Tastespotting

320 Sycamore

i heart faces

***********

Have you seen the Broadway show Wicked?
Hollywood, my mom and I saw it here in St. Louis in 2007. We LOVED it!! Sunshine has been anxiously waiting for it to come back so she could go.

Her 6 month count down (she literally told me how many more days for nearly 6 months lol) finally ended last Sunday night, when we went to the Fabulous Fox Theater, which is a treat it's self.

I love this picture I shot of the two of them outside the theater before the show.



If you have not seen the show, I HIGHLY recommend it!!


REMINDER
This discount ends tonight at midnight EST

Want to know more about Clickin Mom's read my post here


*HURRY------Now thru midnight EST on Friday July 2, 2010 you can
use the discount code FRIEND at checkout, you will get 10% off any subscription,
or coupon code LOVECM for 20% off a lifetime subscription.

and last but not least........

I'm still keeping up with my 365 project!!

Remember, you can start your own 365 project at any time! It's a GREAT way to learn your camera and improve your photography!!
I PROMISE, if you sign up at Clickin Mom's and try a 365 project, by this time next year you will be AMAZED at the improvement in your photography!

My June 2010



**NOTE**

Recently I mentioned I was working on a blog makeover......well, I'm actually taking the plunge and moving to WordPress!! {squeal}. My site will still be TidyMom.net, but if you follow my blog in Google Friends Connect, you may have to resubscribe.

So hang tight........hopefully August will bring great things! A new blog home and look, as well as my 2 year blogiversary! We may have to "party it up" a bit!.....

I'm working on lining up some great giveaways for August, so if you have a site and want to participate in all the excitement, just shoot me an email tidymom{at}charter{dot}net and we can talk about getting you on the list!!
~Please put "Aug giveaway" in the subject line. ~


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Clickin Moms Memebership Special

Do you have a DSLR camera, but don't really know how to use it?
Not understand all the settings on your camera?
Whan to learn how to edit your photo's better?

I have recently discovered a fabulous subscription based message board called Clickin' Moms.
It's a wonderful place to gather information & support!!

As a photographer, you will learn how to use your camera and improve your photography. You will have access to new digital photography classes being offered by the most talented Clickin’ Moms, written & video tutorials, there are even used equipment and business help forums and so much more. All in one tight knit place to help both professional and amateurs alike.

As a blogger, you can earn money with an affiliate relationship. You will earn 20% for each person you refer to Clickin’ Moms.

If you haven’t signed up there yet, NOW is the time!

Now thru midnight EST on Friday July 2, 2010 you can
use the discount code FRIEND at checkout, you will get 10% off any subscription, or coupon code LOVECM for 20% off a lifetime subscription. Cool huh?!

*I signed up for a year!

While we're talking photography and mom's.......PLEASE go read this post and be inspired to include yourself in your pictures with your kids!
We as mom's just don't do it often enough. Tips for "getting in the picture"

Excerpt from
She left proof {Aleida’s Challenge}

“Have you ever seen a photograph of your own mother and thought to yourself how fat she looked? Or how she wasn’t wearing make-up? Or wasn’t dressed in a glamorous outfit?” Of course my answer was no.

Aleida tragically and unexpectedly passed away in an auto accident in September of 2008, leaving 2 small children and a grieving husband. After she passed I thought of how those children must feel to have those precious photographs. I have made it my personal goal to follow her wise suggestion and I try to take photos of myself with my children….double chins, make-up free, bed-head and all."

So come on........

learn how to ROCK that Camera you've got

Click the banner below or use the link Clickin' Moms
See you there!!!



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I Heart Faces - Celebrating Teens

Now that summer is here....i heart faces is celebrating teenagers and showcasing their talents by having several weeks devoted to them!

This week, anyone can enter and 
you must have a teen in the photo.

The week of July 5th ONLY teens (age 13-19) can enter a photo into the challenge!
That will be fun, as Sunshine is pretty good with her point and shoot camera! I can't wait to see what she comes up with for that week!!  If you know a young person interested in photography, be sure to tell them about the photo challenge on July 5th for ages 13-19 only. You can visit this page to learn about the details.

Last week while out shopping I took this picture of Sunshine, and then tried my hand at some new actions from Amy McMaster and AMP Actions.

I've learned so much about editing in the Everyday Elements Workshops!
Sign up for PSE workshops here 
 






Be sure to check out all of the amazing entries this week!

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I Heart Faces - All About Babies

They are celebrating itty-bitty babies this week at i heart faces!!

Lucky for me, I had the chance recently to take pictures of my 8 day old great niece!

It's my 11th time becoming a Great Aunt.....but my first time with a newborn shoot!

I'll share a few more pictures another day.......

This is one of my favorite shots from the day!

Congrats Erin and Ryan!!

♥

Welcome baby Clara!

Join in all the baby fun over at i heart faces this week!

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I Heart Faces - "Play"

This week over at I Heart Faces, the theme is "play".

I just so happen to have the perfect photo!

I had the pleasure of watching this little dude one day recently, when his mom was in a bind. His mom is one of Hollywood's best friends...........they have been BFF's since grade school. It's hard to believe that one of her friends has a three year old!!

I thought.......what on EARTH am I going to do with a three year old BOY! (I only have girls) LOL

Well, I pulled out the camera, and went outside......apparently little boys LOVE to play outside.....little girls.... not so much! lol

He was happy with the big ball we had, so he played, while I shot.
This was one of my favorite shots of the day!

Pop over to I Heart Faces for lot's of PLAY time this week!!

This post was sponsored by:


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