Canadian Buffoon's Sweet 16 Celebration - Update 01/28 - The End

[pkondz]

Technically what I was asking was "does your street name have anything to do with the word (in it). Sorry to be so blunt. Hope I didn't reveal anything.

I believe the street is strictly based
on a nautical theme and that's it.

 

[Tracy161]

And I am honoured to have
so many friends and
acquaintances I have
met or not met yet.

Awwww And we are all honored to have you! (oops, was that a "u" I missed there?! ) I love that you wrote "not met yet" - please consider me in that group, we'll get there someday!!!

Is it worthwhile to keep writing?
Perhaps it's getting stale for you,
dear reader.

YES! YES it's worthwhile to keep writing!!!!!!! It's not going stale! I have come and gone twice now on the Disboards, but I don't think I've told you that right after my first reappearance I binge read all your TRs to get myself back in the grove. And when I made my second reappearance, yours was one of the very first I specifically hunted down. Your style of writing is unmatched and I would be extraordinarily bummed if you deprived us of that! That being said, you gotta do what's best for you, but know there would be a place in our hearts that would remain vacant. No pressure, right?! For now, I'll leave you with this: we've never actually met, but I consider you a forever friend and I look forward to the day we actually meet!

 

[vamassey1]

Interesting.
Different con, you say.
But a lot of the same costumes.
I like that your DD changed it up.

The group made plans to dress alike for both Cons. Danielle wanted to do the blue-green outfit but we couldn't find anything she liked. In between the 2 cons we finally found what she was looking for.

That... I'll call it an 'axe'
is impressive.
Did she make that?
Or buy it?
How heavy was it??

She and DH made it together. It wasn't too heavy but really got in the way at times. Took up most of the back seat on the drive down.

That is one cool shot!
Who took it?

I took it. Her friend would throw the leaves while I tried to get the shot.

Got any photos of what
she did those times?

I don't have any from 2016 which is a shame. She make her costume from scratch using her sewing machine we had given her for Christmas. Her teacher helped her. She entered a contest and actually won 2nd place at the Con in New Orleans. She was Linkle (?) female Link from Zelda. I have some pictures from this past summer only because she loaded them on my computer.



She also dresses up for the RenFest every year.

 

[vamassey1]

Howdy! Long time no see! And yes I do remember it well!

GB I'm so happy your back on the boards! I knew you would back me up on ZZUB.

The Number 4 story was literally the funniest thing I have ever read.

EVER.

Totally agree!

I laughed til I cried. Oh man, that was some funny stuff there.

The BEST!

Okay... That was pretty darned
entertaining!
I see now.
Well... truthfully, cannot unsee

I knew you would appreciate it. Now you know what a great compliment I paid you.

 

[pkondz]

Awwww And we are all honored to have you! (oops, was that a "u" I missed there?! )

Thanks!

I love that you wrote "not met yet" - please consider me in that group, we'll get there someday!!!

I do consider you in that group.
I have enjoyed meeting every
single one of my DIS friends.

YES! YES it's worthwhile to keep writing!!!!!!! It's not going stale!

Thanks, Tracy.
I'm glad to hear you think so.

I have come and gone twice now on the Disboards, but I don't think I've told you that right after my first reappearance I binge read all your TRs to get myself back in the grove. And when I made my second reappearance, yours was one of the very first I specifically hunted down.

Really?

Your style of writing is unmatched and I would be extraordinarily bummed if you deprived us of that!

Well... we can't have that, now.

That being said, you gotta do what's best for you, but know there would be a place in our hearts that would remain vacant. No pressure, right?!

No pressure at all.
<Gun to head... no pressure!>

For now, I'll leave you with this: we've never actually met, but I consider you a forever friend and I look forward to the day we actually meet!

You do know that your museum
is on my list of places to visit?

I certainly hope we can meet some day.

 

[pkondz]

The group made plans to dress alike for both Cons. Danielle wanted to do the blue-green outfit but we couldn't find anything she liked. In between the 2 cons we finally found what she was looking for.

Ah! Okay, got it now.

She and DH made it together.

Really!
I was sure you were going to
tell me that she bought it
at a con!

What's it made out of?

It wasn't too heavy but really got in the way at times. Took up most of the back seat on the drive down.

I bet!

I took it. Her friend would throw the leaves while I tried to get the shot.

Very nicely done.
Really.

How many takes?

I don't have any from 2016 which is a shame. She make her costume from scratch using her sewing machine we had given her for Christmas.

She entered a contest and actually won 2nd place at the Con in New Orleans.

No way!! Good for her!!!
(And... considering the photos... I am not surprised.)

She was Linkle (?) female Link from Zelda.

I know Link... but never heard of a Linkle... then again,
I haven't played Zelda since the 80s.

Wow. That is really impressive.
Really.

Holy crap.
You know your daughter is stunning, right?
She has beautiful eyes.
What a great photo!

I presume this is an anime character?
Sorry. Don't really follow it. Only read a wee bit of Manga.

She also dresses up for the RenFest every year.

Had to Google that one.
Cool!

 

[pkondz]

I knew you would appreciate it. Now you know what a great compliment I paid you.

I did.
And I do.
Thank you very much!

 

[Tracy161]

I do consider you in that group.

Phew, dodged a bullet there!

Really?

Yes. Really.

Well... we can't have that, now.

Nope, we sure cannot!

No pressure at all.
<Gun to head... no pressure!>

You do know that your museum
is on my list of places to visit?

I sure do!

I certainly hope we can meet some day.

Oh we will. Never have I doubted that

 

[pkondz]

Phew, dodged a bullet there!

Or... stepped in front of one?

Yes. Really.

Nope, we sure cannot!

Okay! Okay!

I sure do!

Oh we will. Never have I doubted that

I like that.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Perhaps it's time to let other,
more talented and more fresh
writers have their say.
I'll leave it up to you.

Well I'm a bit late to the party, but I'll add my thoughts anyway. I honestly and sincerely enjoy reading your reports. But I also understand the commitment it must be to write them. Sadly, I've not yet had the opportunity to write a report, having joined the DIS after my last trip and - due to various personal reasons - I've not been on a trip since, and nothing planned in the near future. But I can imagine it must take quite a bit of time to put it all together. Due to my job change last summer, I've scaled back my DIS time to a couple days a week at most. But your report was always one of the first things I would try to get to when I did log in. So in short, I would enjoy reading more from you, but you are obviously under no obligation, so whatever you decide should be right for you.

And thank you to all
who played along!

It was fun! I can't believe how many hidden pictures I missed on that last update though. Here I thought I was being Mr. Smarty Pants getting the guy's tattoo!
You're obviously good with Photoshop. I've never used it, but I actually sat down to do a little project last weekend. My DD is graduating high school this year, so the parents organize a Safe Grad. Our group of parents chose to decorate our room with a Survivor theme - I know you mentioned you watch the show. Anyway, I got it in mind to create a Survivor logo for their Safe Grad. I found some instructions online and it turned out pretty well, for my first attempt at least.
Anyway, get to the point! OK, do you know of any quick guide/cheat sheet/beginners tutorial on using Photoshop in general. I know there's the help files and all, but unless I know a specific thing to search, I don't find them that helpful. Just a thought. Maybe I'll get into Photoshop more someday.

 

[pkondz]

Well I'm a bit late to the party, but I'll add my thoughts anyway.

Thanks, Jeff.

I honestly and sincerely enjoy reading your reports. But I also understand the commitment it must be to write them.

It does take a little bit.
I've seen so many people
start TRs.... and then quit.

Sadly, I've not yet had the opportunity to write a report, having joined the DIS after my last trip and - due to various personal reasons - I've not been on a trip since, and nothing planned in the near future.

Hopefully you can get out
to one at some point.

Hoping everything's okay.

But I can imagine it must take quite a bit of time to put it all together.

Sometimes there's planning.
There's a lot of note taking.
And sometimes... ya just wing it!

Due to my job change last summer, I've scaled back my DIS time to a couple days a week at most. But your report was always one of the first things I would try to get to when I did log in.

Aw, thanks!

So in short, I would enjoy reading more from you, but you are obviously under no obligation, so whatever you decide should be right for you.

Thanks, Jeff. I appreciate that.

It was fun! I can't believe how many hidden pictures I missed on that last update though. Here I thought I was being Mr. Smarty Pants getting the guy's tattoo!

Can't make 'em all easy!

You're obviously good with Photoshop. I've never used it, but I actually sat down to do a little project last weekend. My DD is graduating high school this year, so the parents organize a Safe Grad. Our group of parents chose to decorate our room with a Survivor theme - I know you mentioned you watch the show. Anyway, I got it in mind to create a Survivor logo for their Safe Grad. I found some instructions online and it turned out pretty well, for my first attempt at least.

That's great! Post it here,
I'd love to see it.

We did a Survivor theme party
for Elle's dance team one year.
Here's the logo I did for it.

I took an actual shot of one
of their routines (yes, that I took)
and made the silhouette from that.

Anyway, get to the point! OK, do you know of any quick guide/cheat sheet/beginners tutorial on using Photoshop in general. I know there's the help files and all, but unless I know a specific thing to search, I don't find them that helpful. Just a thought. Maybe I'll get into Photoshop more someday.

Hmmm.... I don't really have
one to tell you.
I subscribe (at about $100/year)
to a photo site that has courses,
and I know they have beginner courses....

But typically what I'll do when I want
to do something quickly is just Google
the effect I want.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

That's great! Post it here,
I'd love to see it.

We did a Survivor theme party
for Elle's dance team one year.
Here's the logo I did for it.

I took an actual shot of one
of their routines (yes, that I took)
and made the silhouette from that.

Cool logo. Mine is below. It's the first time I ever did something like it and I tried to add some elements of the actual logos. Given more time and experience, I could have polished it a bit more - it's a little busy especially the school crest, but I wanted to have that in there. I'm proud of it (the green and orange are the school colours by the way, and will also be our tribe colours the night we run our Survivor room at the Safe Grad), but my issue with it is the white. Survivor logos never have white, but the silhouettes I used was just from a google search, and all I found was white background, and I kept the bottom half white to match. I'm sure with more experience that white can be changed around the silhouettes. I should just google and try to figure it out, just haven't had the time to sit down again (I was 4 hours at the first attempt).

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

I just wanted to say that I haven't been offended (YET!). Life has gotten crazy, so I haven't been able to been as active on this trip report! I have been reading along though! I enjoyed this one in particular as someday I hoped to enjoy some trips alone with my two boys like you do with your girls. If you stop writing trip reports then I will DEFINITELY never win a contest (or get higher than the middle of the pack!)!

Seriously though, if you *need* a break, take it. But otherwise, you can bet that we will be here and waiting!

 

[pkondz]

Cool logo. Mine is below. It's the first time I ever did something like it and I tried to add some elements of the actual logos. Given more time and experience, I could have polished it a bit more - it's a little busy especially the school crest, but I wanted to have that in there. I'm proud of it (the green and orange are the school colours by the way, and will also be our tribe colours the night we run our Survivor room at the Safe Grad), but my issue with it is the white. Survivor logos never have white, but the silhouettes I used was just from a google search, and all I found was white background, and I kept the bottom half white to match. I'm sure with more experience that white can be changed around the silhouettes. I should just google and try to figure it out, just haven't had the time to sit down again (I was 4 hours at the first attempt).

View attachment 300537

That was your first attempt????



Impressive @Terra Nova guy !

You want to change the white
in only the center of the logo?
Like this?



Quick tutorial.
Using the lasso tool roughly select the top half and (using shift) the bottom half of the white area.
Make sure you don't select the school logo or, (using alt) deselect it.
What you want selected is only white areas you want changed. So not the logo, the words or the diplomas.
Don't worry that you will have a bunch of extra stuff selected, we'll fix that right now.
Click Select/Color Range set fuzziness all the way to 200.
Click in the white area of the logo with the eyedropper. Click OK.
Click Select/Modify/Feather and set it to 1. Click OK.
In the layers box (if it's not open.... and it should be... click Window/Layers)
Click the New Fill Layer button (half black half white circle),
click Solid Color, pick your colour, click OK. Voila.

 

[vamassey1]

What's it made out of?

Wood

How many takes?

Too many!

Wow. That is really impressive.
Really.

Thanks, she didn't make this one. It came from China.

Holy crap.
You know your daughter is stunning, right?
She has beautiful eyes.
What a great photo!

Thanks for the compliment. I thinks she's beautiful but I'm partial.
I'll have to pass this compliment on to her. She spends more time on her eyes than anything else. She is actually wearing colored contact lenses in this picture.
He boyfriend at the time took these. He would like to do photography on the side.

I presume this is an anime character?
Sorry. Don't really follow it. Only read a wee bit of Manga.

Yes it is. Most of the characters she does are from Anime.

I did.
And I do.
Thank you very much!

It's the truth.

 

[pkondz]

I just wanted to say that I haven't been offended (YET!).

Well, give me time!

Life has gotten crazy, so I haven't been able to been as active on this trip report! I have been reading along though! I enjoyed this one in particular as someday I hoped to enjoy some trips alone with my two boys like you do with your girls.

I hope you do, someday.

If you stop writing trip reports then I will DEFINITELY never win a contest (or get higher than the middle of the pack!)!

What if I don't have a contest?
That takes up most of my time.

Seriously though, if you *need* a break, take it. But otherwise, you can bet that we will be here and waiting!

Thank you.

 

[pkondz]

Wood

Holy smokes!
It must've been heavy!

Too many!

Thought so.

Thanks, she didn't make this one. It came from China.

Well, she certainly pulls it off!

Thanks for the compliment. I thinks she's beautiful but I'm partial.

And so you should.

I'll have to pass this compliment on to her. She spends more time on her eyes than anything else. She is actually wearing colored contact lenses in this picture.

Dang it!!!!

I was going to ask
"Is she wearing coloured contacts?"

But.... I thought, "If I'm wrong,
that might be insulting."

So I didn't.

Still stunning.

He boyfriend at the time took these. He would like to do photography on the side.

He's got a good eye.
I do a bit on the side. Here's one of mine.

Yes it is. Most of the characters she does are from Anime.

Ah! Take it she's a fan, then.

It's the truth.

 

[vamassey1]

It must've been heavy!

Not too heavy, just BIG. She loved the attention she got when people saw it.

Well, she certainly pulls it off!

And so you should.

Still stunning.

Th.ank you

He's got a good eye.

I'll pass on the compliment. They aren't dating but are still friends.

I do a bit on the side. Here's one of mine.

STUNNING! Both the picture quality and the subject.

Ah! Take it she's a fan, then.

Very much so. She's also a fan of KPOP.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

That was your first attempt????



Impressive @Terra Nova guy !

You want to change the white
in only the center of the logo?
Like this?

Thanks! Yes, that honestly was my first attempt, although I did find the vector template and some instructions on doing the basic logo online, but I figured out how to add the diplomas and hats myself (I kind of modeled it after the Heroes vs Villains logo since it had bunch of silhouettes in the top half).
And yes, your example is exactly what I wanted to do! I tried doing something myself with limited knowledge using the magic wand/eraser/paint bucket but I found the silhouette image quality deteriorated and was tricky to fill in all the little white spots in between the arms, etc.

Quick tutorial.
Using the lasso tool roughly select the top half and (using shift) the bottom half of the white area.
Make sure you don't select the school logo or, (using alt) deselect it.
What you want selected is only white areas you want changed. So not the logo, the words or the diplomas.
Don't worry that you will have a bunch of extra stuff selected, we'll fix that right now.
Click Select/Color Range set fuzziness all the way to 200.
Click in the white area of the logo with the eyedropper. Click OK.
Click Select/Modify/Feather and set it to 1. Click OK.
In the layers box (if it's not open.... and it should be... click Window/Layers)
Click the New Fill Layer button (half black half white circle),
click Solid Color, pick your colour, click OK. Voila.

Awesome! Thank you. I'll have to try this out when I have the time.

 

[pkondz]

Thanks! Yes, that honestly was my first attempt, although I did find the vector template and some instructions on doing the basic logo online, but I figured out how to add the diplomas and hats myself (I kind of modeled it after the Heroes vs Villains logo since it had bunch of silhouettes in the top half).
And yes, your example is exactly what I wanted to do! I tried doing something myself with limited knowledge using the magic wand/eraser/paint bucket but I found the silhouette image quality deteriorated and was tricky to fill in all the little white spots in between the arms, etc.

The original is too low res,
so filling in without feathering
is going to kill it.

Awesome! Thank you. I'll have to try this out when I have the time.

No problem!