240 favorites received:

Up, Up, and Away

Up, Up, and Away

Just the source was used. I found this young lady's beautiful face, her hair blowing in the breeze, was the perfect place to create 'dandelion parachutes'. The dandelion was created from her hair, by the way.

For: hair closeup contest

» Comments: 11
» Score: 56.49%
» Rank: 9 out of 19

Enjoying The Grand Finale

Enjoying The Grand Finale

Layers of very close-up views of the hair make up the fireworks in a number of layers with various colored light filters over them. Thanks to cgtextures.com for the pagoda source and to nazka2002 at morguefile.com for the people silhouette.

For: hair closeup contest

» Comments: 6
» Score: 49.48%
» Rank: 19 out of 19

Rhapsody in Blue

Rhapsody in Blue

First the birdhouse was formed from logs from the old mill, then from the patch of blue sky, the flowers were created and then the bluebirds were made from the same patch of sky. Thanks to gracey at morguefile.com for the fence and bush photo.

For: windmill contest

» Comments: 12
» Score: 57.88%
» Rank: 3 out of 15

Underwater Discoveries

Underwater Discoveries

Thanks to the following at flickr CC for the source photos: merche (fish and water and anemona), therefromhere (fish and coral, surgeon fish and batfish) Please see my SBS for details.

For: flickr ratatouille contest

» Comments: 7
» Score: 58.41%
» Rank: 5 out of 15

Petals and Pods

Petals and Pods

Flowers, vase, and background were all created from the source image. Foreground fabric is from CGTextures.com

For: bulbs contest

» Comments: 22
» Score: 64.3%
» Rank: 1 out of 24

Castle at Sunset

Castle at Sunset

Thanks to luisrock62, clarita, and rosevita at morguefile.com for the seagull photos. Also, to the following at flickr.com: rene_ehrhardt for the sunset beach, auntiep for the bucket and shovels, GorupKa for the conch shell, and shells by Cremo, kevin124 and eldave.

For: petra contest

» Comments: 12
» Score: 58.04%
» Rank: 2 out of 21

Hands That Make the Music Flow

Hands That Make the Music Flow

Hands around the world of all colors, of young and old, of rich and poor, make the music flow from their many diverse instruments. Thanks to all the following at flickr.com for the hands sources: bobjgendorf (flute player), Irrgerich (Harp player), onkel_wart (accordian), armadillo (guitar player),...

For: piano player contest

» Comments: 18
» Score: 57.45%
» Rank: 2 out of 10

Lest We Should Forget

Lest We Should Forget

Flowers were all created from hat as was the container for the arrangement. The background was also created with many changes to the source. Please see my SBS. Thanks to Beverly and Pack at Flickr.com for the folded flag source, and to Vic Acid at flickr.com for the Iwo Jima source photo. The fabr...

For: marine hat contest

» Comments: 14
» Score: 58.88%
» Rank: 3 out of 18

Dancing with the Stars

Dancing with the Stars

I've wanted to use this wonderful sculpture for a long time in a contest. Thanks for Great Nebula in Orion by mike-in-ny at flckr.com. Also to stuant63 at flckr for Star Jumpers and to brockvicky at flckr for the star source. The sculpture is by veggiegretz at morguefile.com. Thanks so much!!

For: twilight zone contest

» Comments: 6
» Score: 55.09%
» Rank: 16 out of 18

Confrontation at Dusk

Confrontation at Dusk

No outside sources used. Only my own source photos were used along with the contest source.

For: trained horse contest

» Comments: 8
» Score: 55.87%
» Rank: 5 out of 17

Strawberry Island Pluckerbirds

Strawberry Island Pluckerbirds

Thanks to thebadastronomer for the nebula photo (flickr); to Martin Sojika for the island photo (flickr); to floato for the tree (flickr); for the strawberry photos, martinlabar and jfh686 - both at flickr.com

For: strawberry surrealism contest

» Comments: 22
» Score: 63%
» Rank: 2 out of 24

Arrangement to Cry Over

Arrangement to Cry Over

You would, indeed, feel like crying if someone gave you this arrangement - it is full of onions from the background and container, to all the flowers. With a close look, you will also see all the little onions that were used in the pearl-like decorations among the flowers. Hope you enjoy - but don...

For: onion bunch contest

» Comments: 18
» Score: 61.92%
» Rank: 1 out of 13

Heaven Calling

Heaven Calling

Special thanks to the following for their great sources: chicks57 for the vintage postcard angel, and badastronomer for the nebulae - both at flickr.com Also to dave at morguefile.com for the cloudy sky source photo. Birds I created with brush and smudge tools, as well as roses and ribbons.

For: vintage phone contest

» Comments: 20
» Score: 62.01%
» Rank: 3 out of 15

Buffalo Hunt

Buffalo Hunt

Thanks to Irish_Eyes at morguefile.com for the cave painting photo used for the background. One horse was removed, then buffalo and 2 more hunters added with brush tools. See SBS for details.

For: buffalo contest

» Comments: 10
» Score: 55.95%
» Rank: 13 out of 20

The Watering Hole Carving

The Watering Hole Carving

Have wanted to try to do a wood carving for sometime, so here it is. It's a challenge, but everyone should try this sometime. Thanks to cgtextures.com (cesar vonc) for the wood background photo. No other sources were used. Hope you will check out my SBS, too.

For: buffalo contest

» Comments: 7
» Score: 57.81%
» Rank: 9 out of 20

Early Morning Rendezvous

Early Morning Rendezvous

Indians must have been so happy in their beautiful lands before white men came. Thanks to thivierr at flckr.com for the Indian and horse sources; thanks to vauvau at flckr for the beautiful misty woodland photo.

For: wild west contest

» Comments: 4
» Score: 55.3%
» Rank: 7 out of 15

Dragonflies at the Pond edited

Dragonflies at the Pond edited

Bird Sculpture, Water, lilies, and dragonflies- all are made from the source photo. A source of colored leaves by richard_b at morguefile.com was used for color in the water. Dragonfly reference photos are included in sources. Thanks to Maggi_94 and x.u.k.i. at flckr.com for those.

For: butter cup contest

» Comments: 11
» Score: 56.31%
» Rank: 3 out of 8

Trail of Tears

Trail of Tears

It is said that many tears were shed as Indians, native to America, were forced to move from their beloved homeland further into the West. Many of them died during the long trip, and later other Indian tribes fought them for invading 'their' lands. They were truly a big part of the 'Wild West'. Th...

For: wild west contest

» Comments: 11
» Score: 57.45%
» Rank: 4 out of 15

Roots of Time

Roots of Time

The Crested bird is created from the source roots - feather by feather, and enjoys the cool water in the forest which was a portion of the source photo of roots. Please see SBS for the details. Thanks to Picture Taker at flckr.com for reference source of birds, used ONLY as reference.

For: entangled roots contest

» Comments: 21
» Score: 60.51%
» Rank: 3 out of 8

Song of the Sea

Song of the Sea

Music of the Seashell is the 'Song of the Sea' . Thanks to mrhappy8 at flckr for the image of the musician, and to CGTextures.com for the gorgeous sunset sky. Also, to oregonkat at flckr for the boat. Have added the star layer and cropped out some of the background in an edit to feature figure...

For: shell contest

» Comments: 5
» Score: 57.11%
» Rank: 8 out of 24

CAN it be Orchids???

CAN it be Orchids???

Only source photo was used . A reference photo by kaiyanwong223 at flickr.com was used for large orchids. My own photo was reference for small orchids. Container and stand at bottom, line material running through the arrangement, butterfly, small orchids and also tea lights and holders at top wer...

For: dust bin contest

» Comments: 4
» Score: 60.83%
» Rank: 5 out of 23

The Beasty's Giant Frog Pond

The Beastys Giant Frog Pond

I fell in love with this beast statue when I saw it on flickr.com, and the garden scene I had planned took a different turn. Thanks to the following at flckr for their great source photos: ell brown (Monet garden), kenny_lex (garden statue), JohnMorgan (reclining frog fountain), Max xx (green frog...

For: garden contest

» Comments: 14
» Score: 59.05%
» Rank: 2 out of 14

Michaelangeloguin at Work

Michaelangeloguin at Work

Lots of fun with this one! Thanks to the following at flckr. com: hassi (Niagra ice source), marufish (penguins); at morguefile.com: kblount (underwater design), mobinukaem (stained glass); at CGTextures: sunset Landscape

For: painted penguin contest

» Comments: 9
» Score: 55.78%
» Rank: 4 out of 12

Celebration

Celebration

Only the source photo was used for this entry and Adobe 6 tools. Please see SBS for detailed description.

For: kitchen view contest

» Comments: 11
» Score: 60.5%
» Rank: 6 out of 12