"New Year's Eve" – #77 Past Days – Postcard

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This is my entry for Digital Whisper theme #77 Past Days. I created a vintage looking Art Deco New Year's Eve club advertisement.

The font is GrekoDeco.

I have a master list for all of my Digital Whisper 100 theme entries here.

"Historic Windmills" – #68 Windmill – Postcard

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This is my entry for Digital Whisper theme #68 Windmill.

This is also my entry for this week's Take A Word challenge, "Print." I tried to create the look of a vintage tourist postcard. The words are copied from a book by the Fairfield Historical Society. I took liberties with the Bronson Windmill, because it doesn't look like the image that I used. You can see a few pictures I took of it here.

The font is Romeodn Medium.

I have a master list for all of my Digital Whisper 100 theme entries here.

"Old, New, Borrowed, Blue" – Postcard

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This week’s Inspiration Avenue challenge was “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” This is my first entry for this challenge site. I made a theme around the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life."

Old: the moon image; I've had it for awhile (Graphics Fairy)

New: the GIMP rope brush that I used to make the rope

Borrowed: the line from the movie

Blue: the boy's clothing

The fonts are Christmas Card and ColdSpaghetti BTN.

"Christmas Angel" – Postcard

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This week’s Three Muses challenge was “Angels.” This is my second entry. I used the ATC I made for the Think Monday Think ATC challenge, along with other images.

Merry Christmas! – Postcard

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This week’s Three Muses challenge was “Angels.”

This is also my entry for this week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge, which is “Open Theme.”

The images are from the Graphics Fairy, the New York Public Library, and an internet search. See the right hand side of my blog for links.

Merry Christmas everyone!

"Santa" - ATC

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This week’s Think Monday – Think ATC challenge was “Santa.”

The images are from the Graphics Fairy and Clipart ETC. See the right hand side of my blog for links.

The font is BoltonShadowed.

"Christmas Script" - ATC

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This week’s Think Monday – Think ATC challenge was “Script.”

The font is ChopinScript Medium .

Vintage Christmas

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was "Vintage Christmas." I had a feeling I wouldn't make it in time for last week's Poinsettia challenge, so I combined it with a vintage theme.

The font is ChopinScript Medium.

"Santa" – #49 Stripes – Christmas Tag

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This is my entry for Digital Whisper theme #49 Stripes. I made a Christmas tag. This is the print out and scan of it.

I have a master list for all of my Digital Whisper 100 theme entries here.

"Christmas Fairy" - Christmas Tag

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This is a gift tag I made for Christmas. Unfortunately the scan is washed out.

I also created a postcard which is here.

I did a "re-do" on this when I realized the pine cones on the bottom should've been facing upward. This time, the print out was purple instead of gold, and the scan is very washed out. I think I need a new printer.

"Christmas Fairy" - Postcard

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was “Christmas Fairy."

"Youth Fades" - ATC

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This week’s Think Monday – Think ATC challenge was “Asia.”

The font is Guttenberg MF.

"Whimsical" - ATC

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This week’s Think Monday – Think ATC challenge was “Asia.”

"Christmas Greetings" – Christmas Tag

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This is a gift tag I made for Christmas. The scan is washed out.

"A gift for you" – Christmas Tag

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This is a gift tag I made for Christmas. The scan is washed out, and more pink than the actual red that it is.

"2 Turtle Doves" – Christmas Tag

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This week’s Take A Word challenge was "Numbers." I made a gift tag for Christmas. The scan is washed out.

"Tis the Season" - Postcard

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This week’s Soartful challenge was “Tis the Season.” The Santa is from the site.

The font is Romeodn Medium.

"Sewing" – Gothic Arch

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This week, Kris' Gothic Arch challenge was “Sewing.”

This was also going to be my entry for the Soartful Sew Pretty challenge but I missed the deadline. The girl is from that site.

Greenfield Hill Cemetery - Pictures

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I took these pictures in Greenfield Hill Cemetery in Fairfield CT on Nov 25, 2011.

Ancient - Pictures

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I took these pictures in Greenfield Hill Cemetery in Fairfield CT on Nov 25, 2011.

Gravestones - Pictures

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I took these pictures in Greenfield Hill Cemetery in Fairfield CT on Nov 25, 2011.

Frederic Bronson Windmill - Pictures

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I took these pictures of the Frederic Bronson Windmill in Fairfield CT yesterday.

"Blue" – Postcard

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This week’s Take A Word challenge was “Blue.”

I found a great site for some free cherub clipart here.

"Numbers" – Gothic Arch

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This week, Kris' Gothic Arch challenge was “Numbers.”

The fonts are MaximilianAntiqua and intimacy.

Thanksgiving Day Greetings - ATC

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This week’s Think Monday – Think ATC challenge was “Children.”

This is also my entry for this week's Take a Word challenge "Umbrella."

The font is Hobbit SF which I thought I got here but I can't find now.

"You Have Been Framed - 2" - Postcard

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was “You Have Been Framed." I didn't post my first piece because it was more of a border than a frame.

"You Have Been Framed" - Postcard

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was “You Have Been Framed." This is more of a border than a frame, so I'm not going to post it to the challenge. I need to create a piece that uses a frame.

"Poppy - Remembrance" - Postcard

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was “Poppy" for Remembrance Day.

"Green" – Gothic Arch

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This week, Kris' Gothic Arch challenge was “Green.” I was having computer hardware problems for awhile, but now I'm back online.

GIMP Installation Instructions

GIMP Installation Instructions

Note: These instructions are for 64-bit Windows 7

Important Note: You must install Python before installing GIMP 2.6.11, otherwise Python-Fu won't appear in the Filters menu, Python plugins won't appear in the Help - Plug-In Browser, and Python plugins won't appear in your menus.

If you already installed GIMP 2.6.11, you need to uninstall it, and then install it again. This time it should have the Python support box checked and non-grey this time. You will have to make the change to default.env again, after you re-install GIMP, but your GIMP Folders changes should be retained (the uninstall doesn't delete the GIMP folder).

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Installations prior to GIMP

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Install 7-Zip version 9.22Beta

website:

http://www.filehippo.com/download_7-zip_64/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\sevenzip_7-Zip

destination location:

C:\Program Files (x86)\7-Zip

Install IrfanView

website:

http://www.filehippo.com/download_irfanview/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\IrfanView

destination location:

C:\Program Files (x86)\IrfanView

Install IrfanView plugins

website:

http://www.brothersoft.com/download-irfanview-all-plugins-164981.html

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\IrfanView

destination location:

C:\Program Files (x86)\IrfanView

Install Ghostscript 9.04

website:

http://www.ghostscript.com/download/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\www_ghostscript_com\Ghostscript

destination location:

C:\Apps\gs\gs9.04

Add system environment variable GS_PROG with full path and filename for the Ghostscript executable, to allow GIMP to find it. GIMP uses Ghostscript to be able to open .EPS files.

GS_PROG

C:\Apps\gs\gs9.04\bin\gswin64.exe

Install GTK+ version 2.16.6

website:

http://www.gtk.org/download/index.php

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\www_gtk_org

destination location: (simply unzip the file to here)

C:\Apps\opt\gtk

Add User environment variable PATH for the bin directory path.

PATH

C:\Apps\opt\gtk\bin;

Install Python version 32-bit 2.6.6

website:

http://www.python.org/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\www_python_org

destination location:

C:\Apps\opt\Python26\

Install GTK+ for Python version 2.22.6 for 32-bit Python 2.6

website:

http://www.pygtk.org/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\www_pygtk_org

destination location:

C:\Apps\opt\Python26\

Install MinGW version 20110316

website:

http://www.mingw.org/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\www_mingw_org

destination location:

C:\Apps\opt\MinGW

Install G'MIC

website:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gmic/files/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD02\Reference\Crafts\GIMP\Scripts\sourceforge_net\projects\gmic_sourceforge_net

destination location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\GIMP_Folder\plugins\GMIC

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GIMP Installation

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Install GIMP 2.7.1 first, because it will uninstall any previous versions of GIMP. (TODO: Why didn't I use 2.7.2? I think I had a problem with it on 64-bit Windows 7.)

website:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/files/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/files/GIMP%20%2B%20GTK%2B%20%28development%20rel.%29/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\GNU_ImageManipulationProgram_GIMP

destination location:

C:\Program Files\GIMP 2.7

Install GIMP 2.6.11

website:

http://www.gimp.org/downloads/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/files/GIMP%20%2B%20GTK%2B%20%28stable%20release%29/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\GNU_ImageManipulationProgram_GIMP

destination location:

C:\Program Files (x86)\GIMP-2.0

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Configuring GIMP

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GIMP EPS file open capability:

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See instructions for Ghostscript.

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GIMP Python capability:

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Edit the GIMP 2.6 environment file as follows:

File location and name:

C:\Program Files (x86)\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\environ\default.env

Add the following to it:

# 2011 Nov 05 - I added:

PYTHONPATH=C:\Apps\opt\Python26;C:\Apps\opt\Python26\DLLs;C:\Apps\opt\Python26\Lib;C:\Apps\opt\Python26\Lib\lib-tk

Edit the GIMP 2.7 environment file as follows:

File location and name:

C:\Program Files\GIMP 2.7\lib\gimp\2.0\environ\default.env

Modify it as follows:

# 2011 Nov 05 - I added C:\Apps\opt\gtk to the PATH variable:

PATH=C:\Program Files\GIMP 2.7\bin;C:\Program Files\GIMP 2.7\32\bin;C:\Apps\opt\gtk

PYTHONPATH=C:\Program Files\GIMP 2.7\32\lib\gimp\2.0\python

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Set GIMP Folders:

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Start GIMP 2.6.11

Edit - Preferences

Select Default Image

Set Width to 4.000 and Height to 6.000 inches. Set X and Y resolution to 120.000

Expand the Folders choice

Select Gradients and add:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\GIMP_Folder\Gradient

Select Fonts and add:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Fonts\Unzipped

Select Plug-Ins and add:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\plugins

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\GIMP_Folder\plugins\GMIC

Select Scripts and add:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\ScriptAction

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\ScriptAction\registry_gimp_org

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\ScriptAction\gimpfx-foundry_sourceforge_net

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\ScriptAction\gimpscripts_com

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\Imaging\ScriptAction\gimp_scripts_26

Click on OK and exit GIMP for the changes to take affect.

Repeat the same steps for GIMP 2.7.1

GIMP 2.7.1 error - this program can't start because intl.dll is missing from your computer.

Copy intl.dll from this directory:

C:\Apps\opt\Python26\Lib\site-packages\gtk-2.0\runtime\bin

to this directory:

C:\Program Files\GIMP 2.7\bin

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Install Serif Applications

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Install PagePlus Starter Edition (Greeting card, etc. tool), PhotoPlus Starter Edition (image manipulation tool), and DrawPlus Starter Edition (image creation tool)

website:

http://www.serif.com/FreeDownloads/

source location:

D:\DATA\DVD02\Reference\Software\Serif\Serif

destination location:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Serif\PagePlus Starter Edition\2.0

C:\Program Files (x86)\Serif\PhotoPlus Starter Edition\2.0

C:\Program Files (x86)\Serif\DrawPlus Starter Edition\2.0

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TODOs

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TODO what is this? It has MinGW files in it. Revisit this:

D:\DATA\DVD03\Reference\Downloads\atoms_scilab_org\toolboxes

TODO any other viewers needed? There was some tie in from GIMP to IrfanView. What was that?

TODO what about those other filters I had?

TODO anything else needed?

TODO any other steps?

White Hallowe’en - Pictures

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I took these pictures of trees in my yard yesterday morning, during the start of Nor’Easter Snow Storm Alfred. Over 600,000 are without power in CT. I am one of the fortunate ones who never lost power. The reason why this storm was especially destructive is because around here, the trees are still partially leaf covered, and this was a heavy wet snowfall. We don’t usually have snowfall in October.

As the storm continued, my dogwood tree started bowing over, as did other trees in my yard. The storm changed over to rain, though. Once the sun comes up, I will be able to assess the condition of my trees, to see if any broke under the weight of the snow, or if the rain spared them by washing it off of them.

"Hallowe'en Party Invitation" - Postcard

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This week’s Sunday Postcard Art challenge was “Bats."

The images are from Clipart ETC.

The fonts are Scrypticali Normal and HarabaraHand Italic.

See the right hand side of my blog for links.

If you would like to see a picture of Washington Irving's gravestone in Sleepy Hollow NY, I posted one here.

Washington Irving Gravestone - Sleepy Hollow NY

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I took these pictures on October 22, 2011 in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, in Sleepy Hollow NY. It was thrilling to see the actual gravestone of Washington Irving, and to be in the village where his famous story took place. Sleepy Hollow NY is near the Tappan Zee Bridge and about a 45 minute drive for me to get to. More pictures from the cemetery are posted on my blog.

Mausoleums - Sleepy Hollow NY

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I took these pictures on October 22, 2011 in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, in Sleepy Hollow NY.

Green Patina Doors - Sleepy Hollow NY

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I took these pictures on October 22, 2011 in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, in Sleepy Hollow NY.

Hourglass, Crescent Moon, Star - Sleepy Hollow NY

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I took these pictures on October 22, 2011 in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, in Sleepy Hollow NY.