With this in mind, we set off to France with lots of bottles of water for our 400 mile drive for our break over half term. You know what its like travelling with children sooner or later you will hear a cry from the back of the car “need a wee”, this usually occurs just after you have passed the services, in France there would appear to be a few more than in the UK, so it wasn’t too long a drive to attend to  the matter in hand. Our first stop, proper facilities, somewhere to stock up on coffee, snacks, fuel if needed. This stop passed without incident, only another 100 miles to our destination, hopefully we can make it without the need for further stops.

Oh no another 50 miles down the road when another cry of “need a wee” came from the back of the car. No worries service area only 2km away, perfect, can you hold on? Yes, good. Now the sign for this service area was a little different from the previous one, just a picnic bench, not a problem, these usually have facilities, we will stop there. However, this is where things went wrong, picnic bench service areas tend to have less, how can I put it, sophisticated facilities, basically the hole in the ground type of facilities. Not a problem a disabled toilet is spotted, no-one else is around we will make use of that, but this was not possible (well, I wouldn’t use it :0/). So it is back to the hole in the ground, this one was a bit more modern than some of the previous ones I have seen, it had a self flushing system, which seem to work when it detected motion, now there is a lot of moving around a toilet when you are helping a young child to use these facilities, and to be quite truthful, I have no idea how it happened or what happened! Let me just say, trousers needed to be changed!

My advice, stay clear of picnic benches go for spoons and forks.

First up cooking, made some bread dough for tonight’s tea and some soup with veg from last week’s box. The boys need something for lunch tomorrow that is quick and filling as they are going to the Forest of Dean Rally, pasties for them. Left over pastry was made into a mango and kiwi tart for dessert tonight (bit of an experiment that one, looks alright!). Also knocked up a quick mixed fruit tea bread  as well. So whilst all this was baking in the oven, I grabbed my camera, stuck my boots on and my coat and popped out into the garden to play.

Last year I bought myself a Lensbaby composer with a creative aperture kit, I love my Lensbaby but I also find it really frustrating! I love the effects you can create but sometimes it takes me ages to get the focus right, which frustrates me. Today was no different, one minute I got the focus right and the next, every image I take is so out of focus it is not real. So I have included a few of the better ones here, I converted them into black and white (they were nearly there anyway!)

Enjoy.

Just recently I have been trying to be more active in Social Media, I started my blog, I have been reading other blogs, twittering (or whatever it is called), sharing images on instagram, commenting on other peoples images, joining groups on Facebook and liking pages. Wow I have discovered so much inspiration out there and I have so much I want to try. So, this year I am going to spend time on developing my photography and trying new things.

At the moment it is pretty grey and cold outside, if the sun came out I would go into the woods and work on developing my landscape skills, but the sun has yet to show itself today. Instead I have been playing with layers and textures in CS5. Now I have never really got my head round photoshop, we did at college but it never sank in and I could never keep up with the tutor, so I have avoided it. I use Lightroom most of the time (discovered presets and actions, another wow there). So whilst reading a post on Facebook, I noticed an offer of texture overlays to use in CS5, tutorial included, special offer $5, I checked out the samples and thought hey these could work really well with some of the portrait work I do. A quick visit to Ashe Designs, it wasn’t that quick a visit, too many gorgeous things on there, I purchased the Sparkle texture set and the Delicate Accents. Now time to play, I did need to watch the tutorial many times to get my head around what to do, but I did it I managed to add a layer texture to an image and it looks pretty good.

So here is the before and after, it’s a picture of Han who is rarely shy in front of the camera modelling her ballet tutu.

Ok its the other way round, the after and before. Han loves the sparkles on her tutu and I do too. I think I am going to use texture overlays a little bit more in the future to add that little something to my images, not too much as I do not want them to look false, I have seen so many truly awful ones but I think a little bit can add to an image and not ruin it.

“I love the pose and think its very flattering for her age and look. The image is underexposed. I’m not a fan of the colour of the fabric I think a single solid colour would have worked better with her look. I would convert to black and white, brighten and you will have a beautiful image” comment about my image.

So I have edited the image as suggested and reposted it, will need to wait until tonight due to time differences etc. However I have decided to share the image with you as well, so if you feel like offering some CC, please do so.

Before I could post this, I have had some more feedback which has put I smile on my face!

I think I will now go and find a glass of wine and McDreamy and McSteamy to keep me company whilst I wait for feedback. Now I am worried have I spelt everything right, definitely  need wine now

So after an early lunch, the children were wrapped up into their warmest hats, gloves, coats, thermal socks, walking boots to visit the kennels. I on the other hand took my time to get ready in the quiet to visit friends in Reading and to go to hipnotic.

Calling home just before the children’s bedtime I ask about the dog walking to be greeted by such excitement, I think Han will burst. Oh I think to myself not good. Well after a lovely evening of photographing, putting the world to rights, laughing I drive home thinking about this dog homing business and to be truthful it is not for me, I would be one walking it and doing most of the care (Mr G is still works very unpredictable hours) , perhaps a bit selfish but not for me.

Early the next morning a very excited Han bursts into the bedroom and at twenty to the dozen tells me about all the dogs they met on the previous day, E joins in at breakfast, I sit quietly realising that I am about to become the bad guy in all of this.

I hope in time everyone will forgive me but at this moment a dog is not for me, I will encourage the gang to support the group by helping with walks, fund raising etc, perhaps in time I can be won over but not yet..

So guys I think you will have to make do with Harriet

The performers are Kitty Kohl, Sphynx, Esther, Al-Gawaher-Al-Thamena, Princesses of the Orient, Feyzah, Persia, Beatrice Curtis and the evening’s hosts Covert Bling.

Please click here to view all the images.

Christmas fast approaching, christmas lists were produced by the children and posted to Father Christmas, who did his best to grant the wishes. Now Mr G, when asked what he would like for Christmas, to be truthful I sometimes run out of ideas when it comes to Mr G, I have to think about everyone else, so I always ask. Top of the list A DOG! Now I do like to try and give people what they would like for christmas, birthdays, but a dog, a dog is for life not just for christmas.

Let me introduce you to Harriet, our dog.

Harriet came to us via the Retired GreyhoundTrust. Standing at 13″ to the shoulder, a little smaller than the average greyhound, she has bright eyes, is a beautiful colour (matches the decor!). Harriet is perfect, never barks, never walks muddy paws are over the cream carpet, doesn’t need to be taken for walks in the rain. But no Harriet is not enough for the men in my life as tomorrow I am being taken to an event being hosted by the local branch of the Greyhound Trust, to find out more. Who knows I maybe won over, we will have to wait and see…..