Hallelujah for this Photoshop Tutorial

For years now I have owned and semi-operated the Adobe Creative Suite, but only recently have I been able to REALLY use Photoshop.  I totally get Illustrator, and Illustrator gets me. But Photoshop and I have had a rough start. Typically my vast (sarcasm, pure sarcasm) patience kicks in, and I email one of my dear digitally savvy friends to save me! Masking or removing a background has seemed like the Mt. Everest of digital design, but after having quite a bit of time on my hands, and wanting to "produce" (or screw around) something I have conquered my Photoshop fear with this easy "step by step". I am now a masking machine! I thought I would share it with you!!

Photo Shop Masking Techniques

Now if I could only network my laptop and desktop to make it easier to access files and pictures...Hello K2 (the second largest mountain in the world)!!

Hallway Crushes

So I was driving home from Hanford yesterday on Hwy 41, and saw a familiar face from Cal Poly driving next to me.  But I can't for the life of me remember his name. (Clearly early onset of Alzheimer's).The funniest part of all of this is that I had the hugest hallway crush on this guy! It was a pleasant little surprise!! It brought back a little bit of nervousness, the way a great crush does!

Back to Brussels

Several years ago I fell in love Brussels Sprouts! I had them in San Francisco at the Americano Restaurant in the Hotel Vitale...I believe this was the same night I met some of the Phoenix Suns players. Anyway,  besides meeting the MVP of the NBA Steve Nash, the highlight of the night was definitely the roasted Brussels Sprouts. Since then I have made it my mission to change the BAD reputation of Brussels Sprouts one diner at a time. So earlier this year when my college roommate was in town from Ventura I surprise her family was roasted Brussels Sprouts. I demanded everyone try JUST ONE!

And they Loved them!

At Thanksgiving she called to say she was making Brussels!! I think this is the biggest compliment that a chef can be paid. To have served a dish, that the your guests didn't think they would love, ended up loving, and are now sharing with others!

Welcome back Brussels!!!

25 trimmed and halved Brussel Sprouts
5 sliced of Bacon cut into small pieces (you can also use diced Pancetta).
1 garlic head minced
1 T Brown Sugar or Maple Sugar (optional, the carmelization gives great flavor)
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Salt and Pepper

Preheat over to 475-500 degrees.  In a roasting pan add Bacon pieces and roast until halfway cooked, not quite crispy. While the Bacon is cooking up, trim and halve Brussels. Add Brussels, Garlic, Brown Sugar, Lemon Zest, and Salt and Pepper. Toss well.  Roast until Brussels are firm, not mushy (that's what gives them their bad flavor) approximately 10 minutes. Toss well at 5 minutes. Serve warm.

And make sure everyone tries them!!! :)

Dahlia

While living in San Francisco I was introduced to a lot of wonderful things. Food, wine, flowers, culture, and lifestyle (Oh and PEOPLE). Some of the things I have been able to find in Fres-yes, some I have had to create on my own. One being great flowers!!

Especially the Dahlia.

The Dahlia does happen to be San Francisco's flower and they grow like weeds there. All shapes, sizes, and colors! Always cheery and vibrant in color! After speaking to my local Clovis nurseryman, just down the road, I was informed that I too could grow Dahlias, if I planted them in Spring and PATIENTLY waited through the summer they would blossom in fall! The other tidbit of information I got was that I would need to support them.  Note I don't know what that meant to support the Dahlias. I remember thinking I will support them, I will water them, fertilize them, and give them words of encouragement...yeah not what the nurseryman was talking about. He meant they were top heavy and needed to be supported, held up. I'm a woman, I get that! Being that I am new at gardening, I was not really sure how to do that, with a bra, with some string, with a cage...I didn't know. Remember that the cobbler's children have no shoes... and well the farmer's children don't have a green thumb! That being said I attempted to tie the plants to the fence, with beautiful copper wire. And as you can imagine, that didn't really work. So tomato cages it is! And they work great, but are not beautiful!

My first flower (pictured above - the coral and white flower) came in late spring, and was a great surprise!! I was so excited!! And then came our REALLY hot summer, or as most call it a normal Valley summer, it was much too hot for me or the Dahlias to bloom. The next flower (the red flower) came only a few weeks ago...I am hoping for more...but if not...

I may just stick to purchasing them at the flower market!

The Official Macy Fan Club

The Official Macy Fan Club has requested MORE pics of this infamous pug. I have been a horrible mother this year and I did not require her to have an outfit for Halloween. Hey I could barely get myself together for a costume!! Let alone Macy!!

But we have had some really fun adventures as of late...We were fence judges at a 3-day event, RamTap, where I used to ride as a kid as part of Fresno Pony Club. (Thats the Top Pic) She has also been spending some time down in Hanford, at my parent's house, which is basically Disneyland!! Dogs to run with, Cats to chase, Kitty cigars to dine on, and a personal garden to RAID!! What more could a little pug ask for!! Friday walked to Starbucks and then we played a little Frisby Golf, by played I mean I played and she ran "on a leash" around Woodward Park with her friend Gracie a black lab. The bottom picture is of her napping in the car ashtray before going Frisby Golf! So after two days of intense fun she was the perfect companion on my sofa after a really fun Halloween!!!

I'M OLD!!

Mary my roommate is 25!! She feels her age is not an issue, however today it is an issue!! She not only beat in scrabble, and I play daily on my iPhone (read the below blog), but she out technology-ed me. UGH! I am so old!! She knows how to do everything online, and I know how to do nothing....I am sooo uncool! Also note that I didn't know what the Hoedown Throwndown was until about 4 months ago...when a 4 year old set me straight! She also went through my iPhone and asked me (the 4 year old not Mary) where HER music was.... I AM SOO OLD!! How did I get soo old and not know it?!?

PS I used to be kinda cool, but now, NUTTIN!!

A new job...

I NEED A JOB! New or Old!! I need one!! Thank god Mary (my roommate) has Wednesdays off...I would go insane otherwise. Anyone know of a job for me in Fresno?