I don’t know…just working hard on a new pattern. Here I’m using the Curves Tool in Affinity Photo (Command + M) to lighten up the image. I think images look better in print if they are a little lighter, and a touch more contrast. My new pattern has (so far) about 50 images in it, mostly photographs, as I try to explain it well.
I’m excited about it.
It took me several whiles to figure out what the heck an Artboard was, but now I love them. This is my Warehouse Artboard. Artboards are like grabbing another sheet of paper while you are thinking about something. This pattern currently has about 10 artboards, with different ideas on each one. And yes, a place where I park the ideas that didn’t quite work out, like that border idea at the top. I didn’t know A THING about digitally designing when I purchased the Affinity Designer, about three (?) years ago? But they have books, and tutorials and nice guys on YouTube, so I’m figuring out things as I go. And one of my favs is the Curves (shown in the video).
Thank you, Covid, for not terrorizing me this month. But judging from the Stories on Instagram, more flu, gunk, covid, disease, pestilence is coming our way here in California. I made plane reservations to see my Dad on his 97th birthday in December and I figure I’ll just come home and quarantine as it’s pretty much a sure bet that I’ll catch something up there in the snowy climate.
I put this up on Instagram (whatever happened to that program?) and took my ballot out to the mailbox. We have BallotTrax and it’s already been received, and since I live in a non-hysterical-about-mail-in-ballots state, it’s been counted, too. So cool.
And then the next day I got another ballot in the mail. What?? Yes, now I’m one of *those* voters. If I chose to use it. I had recently renewed my driver’s license online and must have checked the wrong box somewhere. I called the Voting People, and he said just destroy it. Or write VOID across it and mail it back. I can also drop it by, if I wanted to. (I’ll just destroy it.)
I’ve been saving these for a while:
Yes, mine is next week, thank you very much. Right before Joan’s funeral, where I’ll be helping with the family meal afterward. Life just kind of rolls on and on, doesn’t it?
This was in the New York Times. I love this. Every once in a while, my mother will hand me a file she has on me. Now that she can’t see anymore, they don’t come my way, but her handwriting looks so much like Eliza’s grandmother’s handwriting.
Lastly, GREAT NEWS!! I found a source for the 17-lb. vellum I use when I do Foundation Paper Piecing. It’s from JAM Paper and Envelope. It comes in 100-sheet packs and 500-sheet reams. I purchased the ream I have many ages ago and it is still providing me with many happy moments of foundation paper piecing.
So, Happy Halloween, Happy Voting, Happy End Of Political Mailers, Happy Life–
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
You know, the whole on-line DMV thing is a mystery. I tried to get all my car registration stuff delivered electronically and apparently cancelled my voter registration in the process! “Do you want to register to vote?” “No” (thinking…I’m already registered) – wrong answer, I realized after not getting my ballot in the mail. Too late for this round but I’m ready for the next. $$ to those candidates in battleground states, instead. Thanks for the funnies! Your digital skills are impressive!
I’m so grateful for mail in ballots. Ours have been sent and received as well. Fingers crossed many, many people turn out to vote in these midterms.
I’m glad you are having success with Affinity. I gave it a go the other day and got frustrated. I’m so used to Illustrator that I try to do things the same way and it just doesn’t work. But I’m not really doing any designing so it doesn’t matter too much. I can still hop over to my old laptop for Illus if I need to. It’s just inconvenient. Thanks for the great memes too. It’s always good to have a laugh these days.
Thank you for the source for the vellum paper. I kind of gave up looking. Paper piecing here I come!
I’m sure all that designing and learning is keeping your brain, and YOU young! The ‘weight’ of paper is different here in Australia. We use a measurement called ‘gsm’- grams per metre and I’ve turned my brain inside out working out how 60gsm relates to 17lb!!! I think my preferred paper is twice as thick as yours! Next time I am in a big stationery store I must look for something finer, I think?!!
Thanks for your lovely post to start my day! I enjoy reading about your computer/technical “exploits”, but you are way beyond me – I’m still using graph paper! 😊. Humor is necessary and in short supply these days- the cartoons made me smile! I love FPP and my current go-to paper is June Taylor’s – texturally feels a bit like fabric. It’s affordable when using JoAnn’s 50% off coupons, but I’m tempted to try the vellum. Of course, I’m voting next week, but very worried about the potential results 😐. Have a great week!
Yep, things are sure to slow down next week….I am working on learning Affinity designer as soon as I have time 😀
So many good things in this post. You design beautiful patterns. And yes, we are just trying to stay healthy until our NYC trip.
Where I am, it’s not as easy to vote by mail. You can’t be a permanent absentee, but must go online and request a ballot each time there’s an election. And you have to get two people to watch while you vote, and sign the mailing envelope, swearing that they saw you fill in the ballot, but did not look at who you voted for! BallotTrax tells me mine has been received and accepted at the County, but it’s not counted yet.
I love the idea of the secret files to keep up on the grandchildren. It brilliant! Your funnies are very cute, especially the mammogram one. I wouldn’t even venture into a program like that. I hate it when I have to deal with any techy issues. They consume so much time.