Free Photoshop resources. Textures, Actions, Backgrounds, Brushes and Totally Free Stock Photography.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

She Belongs to Him

When I was pregnant with Haley, so many people told me that I would really need to keep a close eye on Mikey once she was born due to how close Mikey I were. As many of you already know, Mikey rescued me under very special circumstances, the loss of my newborn son, two years prior to having Haley. Due to the unique relationship, people thought Mikey would be jealous of Haley. I wasn’t worried.

My whole pregnancy, Mikey would sleep next to my belly every night and he was just fascinated by any movement she would make from in there, it was really cute.
When we brought Haley home from the hospital, she was
 4 ½  pounds, itty bitty, but healthy. Mikey was so curious about her as soon as I walked through the door so I put her on a blanket on the floor and let him check her out. As soon as he got one whiff of that sweet baby smell he began to purr. He sniffed her from head to toe and then he curled up next to her for a nap.

As much as I trust Mikey, I tried to really play things safe and when she went down for naps and went to bed at night I would make sure her bedroom door was shut, we had a video monitor so it was all good. Well…a couple of times the door got left open and when I would look closer on the monitor I would see Mikey in her crib, he was being good but wanted to be next to her. I was assuming it was her body heat that he wanted. So I would go in there get him out of her crib and shut her door. I think it must have been the third time or so that the door got left open and this time I was downstairs and noticed  it open, I knew Mikey would be in there. I looked in saw that Haley was sound asleep but I didn’t see Mikey in her crib and was a bit surprised by that.
Another quick glance around Haley’s Room and there he was…sound asleep under her crib. He never jumped in her crib again, he would always nap under it during their nap time. I never shut her door again.

When Haley goes to bed at night Mikey always goes with her, he stays in there until she goes to sleep and he still doesn’t sleep on her bed with her, only if she isn’t in the bed and then it’s fair game. LOL You can always find him at bedtime sleeping next to Haley’s bed.  Once she is asleep…you can find him next to me, in my bed, our bed.

You know, Mikey and I went through so much before Haley arrived…Mikey didn’t understand all that made my heart hurt back then, he was a baby and his job was just to fix it and he did. When Haley came into the world two years later, it was pure Joy and Mikey thought so too because he knew what sorrow looked like .…he saw it on my face and how it felt next to him at night for a very long time. This Joy thing was different and he knew Haley brought that into our home…he loves Haley, she helped him save Mom.

Models are Mikey and Haley

If He Was my Own

If He Was my Own… I don’t think I could love him anymore than I do already.

This is the amazing Sheriff and he belongs to my friend Sandy.

The Baby


This is Alex and he is my baby, he is the youngest of my kitty crew.

My Alex is always trying to work his way to the top of the hierarchy around here but always seems to fall a bit short. LOL

If any of you have multiple cats then you may know how it goes with the pecking order when it comes to cats. Since Roo passed on it has been an all out fight for his position of number two under Mikey. I think Alex figured since he is a male that he would automatically claim that spot but my female Belle (his aunt) set him straight with a quickness. LOL

I would like to say he is at number three but to be there he would have to get passed Daisy and well…that won’t happen anytime soon either, she can still take him.

So Alex tries to focus his power over the only one he can and that would be Sissy but then I step in because Sissy is at the bottom of this whole Hierarchy thing and well…I’m her mom and I just protect her. :)

So I think Alex is a bit frustrated with his position and all but he is still sweet as sugar, I just adore him.

For those who do not know, I rescued Alex at 3 weeks of age…his mom was a Feral cat that I trapped to be spayed and released. She ended up being a sweet baby as well and so instead of being released back into her environment, she found herself a home with my friend Julie and she goes by the name of Bella now. She is also the sister of my cat Belle.

Confused yet? LOL

All of the kittens from the litter Alex was in were placed in loving homes.

Ms. Belle

When she first arrived at my house almost 5 years ago.

He is the Moment


He brings so much to my hectic world
Everyday with the busy schedules and all of the activities
He is the calm in the storm
He is the moment when I sit down to rest
Just a look, a glance in his direction brings such a peace to my existence
He gives me that balance I so need everyday
He brings me his all
He brings me his everything
And I need him.

Model is Mikey
Thursday, March 22, 2012

8 Free Vintage Composite Textures

This Set includes 8 Textures at 3888x2592 , all were made from photographs and then processed in CS5. As always this is a free download and you may use the textures and the brushes as you wish just don't claim them as your own.

 Have fun...enjoy and have a wonderful weekend.

 Jen :)









Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Saying Goodbye to Petey

I remember that night almost as if it were yesterday...my friend Susan called me up and said there was a dog that she knew that was getting ready to be taken to the pound. She said he was a good dog and wondered if maybe we had some room up here on this mountain to take him in. So I got in the car at like 9pm and headed 30 miles out of town to pick up a dog I didn't know and bring him home.
When I arrived, Susan said, "This is Petey, he is a one and a half year old Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix and he loves kids and other animals." He had his own kid but the Dad found out he was terminally ill so the whole family was moving back east for his last days and there was no room for Pete.

So, Pete and I said our hello's and I loaded him up for the drive home.
Next came the lecture, yes, I was lecturing this dog on the way home because you see...I am a cat person.
So I proceeded to tell Petey that after his bath he could sleep on the bed but he would have to sleep on the right side because my cat Mikey sleeps on the left. I ran down all the rules of the household and told him I really didn't want to get a dog. I had a full house already with a  2 year old, 6 cats and a standard poodle, I was already spreading myself thin but....I couldn't let him go to the pound. Petey seemed to take it all in and looked excited about this new adventure he was now on, not nervous at all.
When we arrived at our property, we both got out of the truck and headed towards the house. Petey looked like he had just hit the jackpot as he looked around and sniffed everything. It was dark though so the full appreciation of where he had just made his new home would not come until morning. We have 22 acres here, a dogs delight and it would all soon belong to Petey.
When we went into the house, my friend Marven who also lives here told me that our neighbors Rick and Raeanne wanted to see our new dog. Our neighbors live on the 22 acres also and their house is right next to ours. So I said "Come on Pete" and he followed me to the neighbor’s house.
What happened next is something that I know will stay with me forever. The neighbor’s door was open and when we approached heir house, Petey broke and ran straight into their house like he knew the place and ran right over to where Rick was sitting in his chair and sat down in front of him and in that moment I watched as a friendship was born.
Rick and Raeanne were both very taken by Pete and told me what a cool dog he was…so I jokingly asked “Do you want him?” I figured they would give the reply most people give when you ask them if they want a dog, you know the list of excuses as to why they can’t have one right now. Instead to my surprise, they said ”Really?” I asked “You really want him?” and Rick blurted out “Hell yes I want him”.
And so Pete had a home with two of my most favorite people on the planet. I was so happy that night, never in my entire life as an animal rescuer, have I ever rehomed an animal so easily nor had I ever felt so good about the home that an animal was going to. Funny thing was, Petey rehomed himself that night because he was going to live with me but he picked them and I was perfectly ok with that because as I said…I am a cat person.
So that was back in 2008, it’s been almost four years ago, how time does fly. Along the way Petey has managed to be “our” dog here on the property.  He and my daughter Haley bonded right of the get, I suppose because he missed his little kid he had prior to coming here. Haley and Pete played together anytime she was outside, Petey loved Haley because she couldn’t tell him no. Petey was a ball dog, he loved that ball and would chase it down and bring it back and throw it at you, yes, throw it at you. Haley would always throw it again, not all of us were always up to this game so Pete appreciated Haley a great deal.
I’m sure you notice me speaking of Pete in past tense here…that’s because on Friday night Pete was killed. He somehow managed his way on to the freeway that is nearby and was hit by traffic. We believe he was probably chasing a deer.
When I told my daughter Haley the news, I saw her literally slouch, the tears fell immediately.  I don’t think I have ever seen her cry this way, she cried for two hours straight, she kept saying “But Mom, Petey is my friend”, she finally cried herself to sleep.
Rick and Raeanne were obviously devastated, Pete was their dog for four years, their family member and he was a pretty spoiled dog along with his dog sister Lily who is also pretty sad right now.
On the night Petey was killed Rick had went out looking for Petey and Lily because they weren’t here as they always are. Living near a freeway, Rick decided to look there even though Petey never went near there before. What Rick discovered Friday night was any animal Parents nightmare. There was his beloved Pete, hit by traffic and no longer in one piece. I cannot imagine seeing what he saw the other night and it breaks my heart. What Rick did next makes me proud to just know him. It was way after dark and there Rick was on that busy I-80 freeway recovering what he could of his friend so he could bring him home to bury him. Wow.
Needless to say it was a tough weekend for us all. Living so close together we are very much a part of each other’s lives and this loss is felt by us all.

So, for Rick and Raeanne, I want you to know that I love and adore you both so much.
Thank you for giving Petey such a loving home these past four years. Petey loved you both so much and he loved his home, he was a happy dog and it showed.
Rick, what you did the other night goes above and beyond what most would do in the same situation. I am sorry you had to see your friend this way; I know how much that had to hurt you. The fact that you pushed aside your own pain to bring Pete home shows me your heart and I admire you more today than I already did before. 
 And Petey, you were a great dog. I am so glad I drove down to get you that night. And though I may be a cat person, you made dogs look pretty good.  It was an honor to know you my friend you and you will be missed everyday.
Thank you for loving my Haley girl and please keep an eye on Roo for me. 

Here are some photographs of Petey....











Goodbye Pete....
Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Funding Available for Free-Roaming Cat Spay/Neuter - Apply Now!

PetSmart Charities is now accepting Free-Roaming Cat Spay/Neuter grant applications for its winter-spring 2012 grant cycle. These grants are intended to provide funding and mentoring for high-impact Trap-Neuter-Return projects. The goal is to stabilize and ultimately reduce the free-roaming cat population within a specific geographic area.


Applications may be submitted through March 31, 2012, no later than midnight within your time zone. For more information and to access the online application please click here.
Sunday, March 4, 2012

8 Free Floral composite Textures set 3 PLUS Brushes

I wanted to do a bit of a composite theme this time around so I matched the textures up with some really nice floral designs from some of my photographs which are now brushes that I have also included in this set... 46 brushes in all. 

This Set includes 8 Textures at 3888x2592 , all were made from photographs and then processed in CS5. 

As always this is a free download and may use the textures and the brushes as you wish just don't claim them as your own. 

 Jen :) 

 Enjoy!






Larger View....