I do "photo 'enhancement' editing". This photo was taken by a friend, Rich Patt. It's of his dog, Buddie.



I removed the background and VERY carefully around Buddie and so I would save the "fur" outline as much as possible. Preserving the "fur" outline is very important and I will explain why a bit farther in this writing.
But it's not a process that you can rush through IF you want to preserve the furry outline. It's very time consuming and it requires a lot of patience, which many digital artists aren't all that willing to put into some-
thing like this. They think if something takes them a couple of hours, this is a lot of time. Well, a couple/few hours is nothing compared to the amount of time I've put into a piece of work. I have pieces of work that
have taken me days, weeks, even months to complete.

After erasing the background around Buddie, I then had to "replace" some of the "fur ends" in his outline.

Then I removed the "jpg-ness" in Buddie's image, which is basically smoothing out the pixels, because JPGs are harsh. JPGs also blend adjacent pixels. PNGs preserve an image as is almost if not entirely 100%. This
is another process that takes a considerable amount of time.

Since I didn't want to leave the chain collar on Buddie, I removed it. This process again, took a lot of time. Then I worked with contrast, and other image tools until I was happy with Buddie's appearance. Then I
added framing, texts, his name and in the first version, a plain black background. In the second version, I added a different background photo. It is in the second version especially where it's so important for the
"furry outline" to be preserved. Saving the furry outline makes all the difference between whether Buddie would look like he was part of the background image or look like he was "pasted in". The latter being what
you don't want.

Version #1:


Version #2:


The photo I used for the new background in version #2 is a photo my daughter took at the college campus. Here's the original:


...And what made this all so worthwhile doing was when Rich received it and he was so happy with it. The act of doing something just for the sheer intent to do something special for someone, to make them happy,
is worth EVERYTHING. On the other hand, when you do something special for someone to make them happy and they tell you they didn't appreciate it all that much, well, THIS is heartless and cruel I think because
such shatters your heart into a billion pieces. Only one person has ever been this cruel and he knows who he is. But... there is never anything possibly wrong in giving. If the receiver is ungrateful and hurtful, the
wrong lies with the receiver, NOT the giver. ..And as much as this same person would like to destroy me and my integrity, the truth is in fact, he is destroying his own. I gave to him in many ways and from my heart.
All he has ever done in return is take and steal from me, use and abuse me. So who exactly is he destroying?

#Poetry #Quotes #PoeticQuotes

#Poetry

Elfpack's "start page" (Mainstuff) has gone down in its Google Pagerank. It was at 2 but now it is down to 1. :(

The Facebook "like" button has changed I see. It's a bit more noticeable than the previous one. Perhaps, so people will be more inclined to use it? I'd use it a LOT more, if:
- Things were worked out between Hedda and myself amicably and mutually beneficial, so...
  - My privacy wasn't being invaded.
  - My name wasn't being slandered all across the Web.
  - My thousands of pieces of written and art work wasn't being kept from me and thus, being stolen.
- I was given a 'written' guarantee that I wouldn't yet again, be used as scapegoat as I'm being used now, for which I then get punished for the wrongdoings of others and/or punished because of an endearing and complimentary comment made towards me in my website's guestbook from a very dear and close, male friend of mine.
Of course, none of this will be admitted because no one involved is a big enough person to stand up and say so.

When someone uses your generous and giving nature and then they choose to abuse you besides, this is not conducive for that generous person to do anything more supportive in the future for the user and abuser nor would one even want to. One can turn things around if they are willing to acknowledge their mistakes, but one who is guilty of wrongdoing can't expect exoneration and a chance to start over if they aren't willing to acknowledge what brought them to the place they are at in the first place. Mistakes are made by everyone, myself included. They are learning tools but one can't learn from mistakes made unless the mistakes are acknowledged first.

This has been a very long haul, a very long drawn out process/situation, in which I have come to several erroneous conclusions trying to get to the truth. But when there are people involved who deliberately try to avert you from finding out the truth through lies, circumvention, and other stonewalling tactics, the one investigating can only work with the data and information they have, and so, erroneous conclusions result from either erroneous information being fed to the investigator or the lack of information being provided to the investigating party. Deliberately steering one to buy or believe things that aren't true may delay the truth from coming out, but if the truth is pursued long enough, the truth shall prevail in the end. ..And data collected, therefore, factual information, trumps lies and deceit, as it also trumps false accusations based on lies, deceit, and deliberate coverup.

I'm a firm believer that wrongs can be fixed and mistakes can be rectified, but the longer the wrongs are left unfixed and the mistakes unrectified, and measures taken to hamper this process, the more devastating the revelation of the truth will be. Mistakes can't be rectified or fixed however, IF one of the parties involved isn't willing to take part in a reconciliation and if a party isn't willing to, then the fault for the continuing situation being left unresolved lies completely with the unwilling party. Since Hedda is unwilling, then this situation remaining as is, is HIS fault and HIS fault alone, regardless of what he does and or says.

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http://trick.atheistadam.com/

My friend Adam Jones is such a corker! ROFLMAO

How many times have you heard someone say, "I love so and so 'because'..."? But in my opinion, love is not about "becauses". Love needs NO "because". If love needed "becauses", then when or if the "because" disappears, then so would love? Hence...

"Love without 'becauses' and you will love truly." ~ Artsieladie #Quotes

Umm... what kind of deadline date is this?

Deadline:

Theme:

Some powerful thoughts to share with this powerful message post shared by Naomi...

Catherine Seiler:
Let us today plant the seed
That greed be replaced by need.
Our world has enough for all,
Yet every day people starve and fall.
Each person has the right to food,
That many do not is simply not good.
We cannot be an enlightened civilisation,
When there is starvation in practically every nation.
Ignoring those who hunger every day,
Will not make the problem go away.
Please use your resources and your voice,
To raise awareness for those whom hunger is not a choice.

(C) Catherine Seiler 07.12.2013

Naomi Allen: I saw a post, it said put the Christ back in Christmas but while you're at it how about putting the Christ back in Christian
Made me think......

Heather Blair: I was just thinking yesterday...Everyday is Christmas. Why do we wait until a few days each year to express our our love for family and friends. This should be a daily celebration. FIll the airways and tv's with hope and love filled messages. Spend time with friends and family. Reach out to each other with gifts of the spirit. You know...we could change the world if we did this. :-D

Catherine Seiler: Your words ring true, are surreal,
I understand the need to reveal,
When we're moved from within our heart,
We must then allow our voices to depart,
And make a sound to resonate
So the world is awakened to help the fate
Of those forgotten, cast aside,
To make a difference and worldwide,
For those in need cannot speak,
And so the strong must help the weak.

...And yes, Heather Blair!
If we can care on just one day,
Then yes, we can care every day,
For their is a need so immense,
The caring must become as intense,
Not by one or just a few
And not on just a day or two,
But every day, a united force
Every ONE on just one course
To lift others who are in need,
True humanity, THIS is indeed!
When we help others without request,
This is humanity at its best!

Inside us all there is a voice,
Inside us all there is a choice,
To either just take or also give,
So that others too may live
Not plagued with hunger, in despair,
But too, can live with joy to spare.
Every human deserves the chance,
To have a better circumstance.
When we humans, our hearts open wide,
Allowing love to be our guide,
We then become well aware,
Blessings given are meant to share,
So that others may too rejoice,
With a joyful heart and a happy voice.

~ Artsieladie, aka Sharon Donnelly ©2013-12-08 18:12:00 (EST)

"Maintaining a sense of humour even when times get tough, will smooth the stormiest seas even when they get rough!" ~ Artsieladie #Quotes

"From The Inside Out... Love"

We search for love using our eyes,
Instead of by using our heart,
And in so doing, we ultimately miss
The most important part...
Love.

We tend to love from the outside in,
Instead of the inside out,
Leaving us wondering what
True love is really all about.
Only one's heart can truly connect,
With another heart to united, reflect...
Love.

When we love from the inside out,
The love is then surreal
And nothing from external sources
Can undermine or repeal...
Love.

Written by Artsieladie, aka Sharon Donnelly ©2013-12-07 19:22:00 (EST)

Inspirational credit: Thank you and bless you, Naomi. :) <3

#Poetry "Seeds Of Love"

Sow the Seeds Of Love in your life's garden,
And you will not be needing to beg for a pardon.
Sow the seeds of malice, harm, and discontent,
And you'll reap a garden full of bitterness and lament.

In your garden of life, when Seeds Of Love you sow,
Beautiful blooms in likeness shall then only grow.
When you hoe your garden, cultivate with care,
Nourish it with kindness, invite others in to share.

All gardens need light, delivered via smiles,
Shining from the hearts of many different styles.
But gardens also need a little bit of rain,
Remember tears can't drop without a little pain.

As you grow your garden, a beautiful affair,
Its sweet aroma shall fill, permeate the air.
While smothering weeds of hatred, hence, thereof,
As the atmosphere is bathed in the fragrance labeled love.

Sow the Seeds Of Love, tend to them with care,
And you'll reap the same in abundance of which then you can share.

Written by Artsieladie, aka Sharon Donnelly ©2013-12-08 00:40:00 (EST)

Inspirational credit: Adam... :) <3

"Two Wolves ~Cherokee Legend~ "

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy...

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil ~ he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self~pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good ~ he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you ~ and inside every other person, too...”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win..?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed...”

#GoodVersusEvil
Right. It is the part we CHOOSE to feed that ultimately is or becomes who we ARE. The CHOICE IS OURS, individually. We are not given, therefore, we're not meant to have control or dominion over others, but we are given dominion over ourselves and WHO we CHOOSE to BE! ♥