Photos Before and After

~ Sandi Staton

ART

Below are before and after photos that I took over the years to use in my digital designs. At the time I created these images I was using PaintShop Pro X6. I have since upgraded to PaintShop Pro 2019 Ultimate.

Back Porch
Back porch before

This is our favorite spot in the spring and summer. We enjoy the sites and sounds of nature.

Back Porch
Back Porch after

In this design, I used a photo of my back porch. The teddy bear is a picture tube that I added for interest. That’s what I love about digital design. You can add or remove whatever you choose.

 

Front Porch
Front Porch before
Front Porch
Front porch after

As you can see, I added several picture tubes in this design. With the right program you can turn your photo into a dreamland, and get lost in it!

 

Crepe Myrtle
Crepe Myrtle before

My main focus was the Crepe Myrtle hanging over the Azalea’s and Heavenly Bamboo.

 

Crepe Myrtle
Crepe Myrtle after

Now the photo has a homey feel.

Flowerbed
Flowerbed before

I had to do some cropping and enlarging to achieve the look I was after in this one.

 

Flowerbed
Flowerbed after

So, I cheated a little. Okay, a lot. But it works. I took out a bunch of stuff I didn’t want and added things I enjoy: a hummingbird, bird nest and eggs, and a little note with a pretty bow. Now everyone’s happy.

 

Birdhouse before
Birdhouse

What I like about digital design is I can fill in the bare spots of my flowerbed with beautiful flowers if I choose. Or I can leave it like it is and focus on the birdhouse as I did in the following design.

 

Birdhouse
Birdhouse after

See how easy that was?

 

First Snow
First Snow before

And last but not least, our first snow. Living in the south, we don’t get a lot of snow. But when we do, I love watching it come down. Sometimes my husband and I bundle up and sit on the back porch with a steaming cup of coffee, giggling like a couple of kids. That’s what makes life worthwhile.

First Snow
First snow after

For several reasons, we don’t decorate the outside for Christmas. One year however, we went all out and strung garland and lights on the banisters, put a big red bow on the light post, and hung wreaths on every window. And that’s where everything stayed till the following Spring. When my husband finally got around to taking it all down, birds had built nests in the Christmas wreaths! So the decorations you see here are all picture tubes.

 

Published by Sandi Staton

So, I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to describe myself to you, and these are the words jumping up and down in my heart: I'm just a simple human being living in a complicated, messed-up world. I speak my mind. I love hard. My feelings run deep. When push comes to shove, I stand my ground. Sometimes I push back. Sometimes I walk away. I've surfed the crashing waves of life that threatened to destroy me only to make me stronger. I bear the scars of emotional rape, sadness, and depression. I've walked the golden streets of churches and religion only to be disappointed time and time again. And as a result, it's taken me seventy-five years to get where I'm sitting today; a sinner saved by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ. I fell at the cross. I repented of my sins, and Jesus saved and washed me clean. I still fall flat on my face. I still get dirty as a pig in a mudhole. And Jesus still picks me up, dries my tears, forgives me again and again, and continues walking close beside me. No one has ever loved me like that. And no one ever will.