Adventures in Adobe Photoshop...

The long hours of my work day can be very tedious, so I am always looking for new ways to jazz it up a little. Recently, it has been watching videos on YouTube of how to do things on Adobe Photoshop and experimenting with what I have learned.

(click on the picture on the right, her eyes are awesome looking!)
This is one of my very first creations I just barely finished of Audrey Hepburn. She was a gorgeous woman and definitely didn't need to be "fixed on photoshop" but it was fun to do anyway. The one on the left is the before, on the right is the after. It inspired me to decide to hold a little contest of Photoshop creations that will be posted on my blog on May 1st. The 1st place prize is two movie tickets.

The Rules:
1. You don't have to have taken the photo, but the creation must be your own.
2. You may enter as many projects as you would like.
3. Submitted projects must be saved for the web as jpegs.
4. To enter, e-mail finished projects as well as your name and contact information to me at: rachel.rcphotography@gmail.com
5. If you have any questions, post them in the comments portion of this blog entry. Others may have the same questions you do.
6. Tell your friends that they can enter too!

Me and My Randomness...

I really should be banned from thinking. Here, alone at work, with no phone calls, watching the Dancing With the Stars Elimination episode in parts on YouTube (darned addictive programing) , I have been thinking of some really random things. Justin and I have been reading a lot lately. We have decided that we really have two HUGE passions: reading and watching movies. Anyone who has been to our little apartment knows that we have two DVD towers that are nearly full of movies (everyone of them has been watched at least once) and two book cases literally (hahahaha... get it literally... nevermind) over flowing with books. We don't have television mainly because our antennae isn't hooked up and we're too cheap to get satellite, but we don't really miss it.
As of right now (since Christmas, that is), I have read all seven Harry Potter books and have about thirty pages left of The Broker by John Grisham. It's been a bit weird reading an American writer after adjusting to a British writer and their version of the English language for seven novels.
As far as movies go, I can't even begin to tell you all the movies we have seen, some on video some in the theater. We went and saw I Am Legend in the theater twice. That is an intense movie. Also on our list has been Amazing Grace, Stardust, Mansfield Park, Jane Eyre, and tons of other videos I can't even remember at the moment.
Justin is on a reading rampage (props to Strongbad...;) He has read quite a few of his Tom Clancy and John Grisham books including the one he got from me for our anniversary, The Appeal. We really enjoy reading. Don't know why... I guess, at least for me, it is because I have a very vivid imagination and what I see in my head when I read is like the best movie ever... or something like that... enough with the random thoughts. Rein them in, Rachel, rein them in, ...

Happy 25th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

My parents will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary on the 25th of this month. I know I for one am glad that they got married! They were married in the Oakland Temple. Just remember, Mom and Dad, the first fifty years are the hardest... ;-)

The First Fifty Years Are the Hardest...

Instead of regular visiting teachers, my ward has visiting teaching groups. It's a little odd, but I really like my group. One of the ladies and I get along really well, even though she's old enough to be my mother. The other night, Justin and I went over to her house for dinner before his ward basketball game and she told us this little amusing story.
When she and her husband were married, an elderly lady who had just lost her husband came up to them in the sealing room to congratulate them like everyone else. This woman was hard of hearing and proceeded to yell (in the sealing room), "The first fifty years are the hardest!" Everyone laughed, of course, and now it's kind of the running joke between Justin and me.
So why such a random story? Well, Justin and I will have been married four whole years on Thursday, March 13th. I thought I would share a bit of those four years with you...

Whew...

Wow, Justin and I have been busy! I have been learning a new computer system for work and helping Sara with the new newsletter that she concocted (link on the side). Justin was sick with that nasty flu that was going around and then worked from sunrise to sundown most of the last few weeks. AND we planned (with our Cub Scouts' help, of course) the Blue and Gold Banquet. So, all in all it has been a very busy two weeks. Somewhere in the middle of that, we went to Fernley to visit my parents and celebrate my youngest brother's 17th birthday. (Happy Birthday Alex!) So, I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while, but I will definitely be trying harder to keep this thing up to date.