Challenge#204

[Grant]

First off much thanks for all the wonderful Christmas card and loving notes sent to both Doreen and myself, they were truly appreciated.

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Much tanks to Ray for submitting this Challenge. One of the national pastimes in Canada is to try and escape the winter and this image should take us as far away from winter as most Canadian's can possibly wish for. This weeks Challenge should keep you hopping.

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http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Challenge/Challenges.html

Present and Past Challenges will remain Until tomorrow at 7:00 pm the then
the Present will be Past and new images will be posted as Present.

* Important notice to all the new people in this forum. This is not a
close shop you are all invited to submit an image. If you don't think you
are good enough this is your first mistake, I think most have found that
working on the Challenge has improved their personal level. So young and
old, hot shots and cool dudes now is you time to post.
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[Robyn]

Hey Ray............now I'm hopping mad, that should be me sending in that challenge, not you! :D :D

[Grant]

The first images are now being posted and again they are all great.

http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Present/index.html

Notes for viewing.

1). Clicking on the thumbnail will open a larger image.
2). Clicking on the larger image will advance you to the next larger image.
3). If you are using Internet Explorer F11 will toggle a full screen view

... gives the images a view they deserve.

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[Carbone]

Hey Ray............now I'm hopping mad, that should be me sending in that challenge, not you! :D :D

LOL !!!!! I thought you might :)

It was shot at the L.A. Zoo. A wonderful place to spend a nice afternoon !!

Ray

[billz]

Dave -

You beat me to it:) ... by the time I sent mine in yours was posted. Nice job.

Bill

[Grant]

If anyone is having trouble e-mailing images to me send to this address. I prefer the "cogeco" one but this will work.

grant@cavesofice.org

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[Byron Gale]

Kimi -- they seem to actually be looking suspiciously at that bird!!! :p

(Is it 2007, already?)

Byron

[Robyn]

Just three and a half hours away here! Just what a sad little git am I.....sitting at the computer on New Year's Eve! :(

[kimi_boo]

Thanks Byron... I tried. :o :D Not here yet. I am hoping for some firework pictures. First time I am happy that hubby is going out to buy fireworks.

Robyn... look at all the friends you are spending it with. How many people can say they spent New Years Eve with people from all around the world? :D

I still have about 9 hours left. (hope I counted right)

[Grant]

Sorry about the delay in loading images seems my life on this side of the monitor got in the way. All should be posted now and I have received a number of images through CaveofIce. From now on I will post that email addressed in conjunction with the Cogeco one.

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[chas3stix]

Grant,
Is anyone other than me having difficulty trying to see challenge #204?
I tried several hours ago and things kept timing out. Well, I'm still in the same boat.....:(
Chas

[scrapperjlc]

Grant,
Is anyone other than me having difficulty trying to see challenge #204?
I tried several hours ago and things kept timing out. Well, I'm still in the same boat.....:(
Chas


Same problem here. Says the Page cannot be displayed.

Jodi

[CalamityJanet]

It's not just you, Chas. I can't get to it either.

[chas3stix]

Looks like we're all in the same boat....:)
Time to crack open a bottle of bubbly....:D
Chas

[Ward Grant]

Just tried going to Grant's challenge and still showing connection error. (Tuesday 3:30 p.m. Central Time-US). Just an update.

[TonyW]

Hmm: I can get as far as caveofice and other personal sites there seem to be working so it looks like it's Grant that has a problem.

Tony

[chas3stix]

I just tried to look at challenge #204 and got an error message saying that caveofice isn't on this server.....:( It's neither Firefox nor IE7. Neither browser will get me to Grant's site.
Chas

[Wendy]

Hi ...

I sent an email to Grant when the first message was posted ... but haven't heard anything yet :(


Wendy

[CarolLHB]

I'm getting a 404...since yesterday:(

[Ward Grant]

Just a wild idea, but could it possibly be related to start of new year and planned moved later? I'm sure Grant would have sent a note out if he expected a disruption such as this.

It will be interesting to see what happens on Challenge Thursday.

[Ellen]

I got there today at noon or so GMT-8 (pacific time) and Wendy's at least had been added: it was the first time I didn't get the 404 in a day or two. Just now tho it's 404:( 8 PST

[Wendy]

Lets hope that it gets fixed soon :)

I sent in my entries fairly late so it looks like emails are arriving ...

Wendy

[Pauline]

Nope, not working. 404 errors again today.

[Rusty]

I tried several times today -- same results as above; just attempted again, 4 hours after last try, -- Nada

Rusty

[Wendy]

I still haven't heard from Grant :(

Wendy

[Grant]

I am sorry my sites are down. Every once in a while it happens an it is my provider that has the problem and there is not much I can do. I have ask assistance and hope it gets cleared up soon as possible.

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[CarolLHB]

Thanks for letting us know, Grant:)

[chas3stix]

What a way to start the new year....:( Maybe you're getting all of the bad stuff now so the rest of the year will be trouble free.
Chas

[Wendy]

Hi Grant ...

Thanks for letting us know ... hopefully they will be able to fix it pretty soon :)

Wendy

[Ward Grant]

Thanks for the information, Grant. Kind of ruins my conspiracy theory.

[TonyW]

Back up and running when I just checked in :) - some great images!

Tony

[Wendy]

Hi Tony ...

Thanks for letting us know ... I checked first thing this morning and it wasn't working then :)

I'll take a trip over and check out the images ...

Wendy

[kimi_boo]

Worked fine for me also. :D

Wonderful Images Everyone!!

Robyn, on your first image I was loving your background when I got confused about... I see his legs and his tail but what is the other??? :eek:

[Wendy]

Alex ... Oh that is fun .. nice idea :)

Ben ... Very nice sketch effect .... how did you do it? and what a great pattern in No 2 that is so inventive.

Bob ... I would love to know how you did it. I can work out the squares and even the background texture but not the gold texture. That has me totally fooled :)

Bill .... Wow it looks like it was a great party. I love the hats & glasses, nice work on adding them.

Carol ... Oh that does look good. Nice work on the effect and making the stamp.

Chas ... That is just excellent. It looks just like a painting which technique did you use on it?

Chuck ... Very nice work on blending the three together ... it makes a great studio portrait !!

Dave ... What a fun theme that is .... neat shadows !! and I love the Hoppy New Year that is another fun one

Ellen ... Clever idea ... it should have a sub title "The Great Escape" !! Nice work on the positioning .. it looks like the other three are keeping watch !!

Jack ... Well done with those changes ... the whole thing is such a an imaginative theme and very well done too. Really nice work in No 2 ... they look at home in the snow. Great shadows !!

Kimi ... I love the scrapbook page. It very imaginative and it looks great !!. Nice positioning of the Flamingo that is a master stroke !

Malcolm ... A very different take on the image and it looks so good ... How did you do it ???

Marilyn ... They look much happier in their new setting ... I just love the way you have done it.

Rita ... Nice work on the image itself and it perfectly matches with the background. Very nice indeed.

Rusty ... Wow is this a takeover ?... Nice work on inserting them into the image and love the glasses !! No 2 is fun as well ... my goodness they are getting everywhere !!

Robyn ... What can I say ... its just perfect. Beautifully done, wonderful blending and what a fantastic shadow. Its simply perfect !! Very nice work in No 2 as well ... good use of the image and well done with the reflections.

Sissy ... Neat idea, well blended into the image and I love the Hmmmm :) No 2 is priceless ... I love the scrapbook page and sucha great touch Grandma's babies!!

Tony ... I very nearly fell of my chair laughing when I saw yours ... its just too funny . Nice work doing it !!

Ward ... Love the Kangaroo Court ... first time I have ever seen one !!. I like the theme in No as well ... very imaginative.

Wendy

[BobWarren]

Wendy --
I see I've managed to render you speechless. Thanks for commenting on all the entries.
Bob Warren

[kimi_boo]

Wendy --
I see I've managed to render you speechless. Thanks for commenting on all the entries.
Bob Warren

Bob... :eek: :D

Thanks Wendy!!

[Ward Grant]

Ellen ... Clever idea ... it should have a sub title "The Great Escape" !! Nice work on the positioning .. it looks like the other three are keeping watch !!

Ellen, just wanted to second Wendy's comment. I thought the other's were keeping watch.

[Grant]

The site is now up and running and should be for a while. My provider did an upgrade and then took a few days off for a well deserved vacation . Trouble is she missed a switch that allowed people to access my sites.


Now if in the confusion I have missed some one please a gentle reminder will get your images up. Remember the past site is accessed often so your work will get good exposer,

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[Wendy]

Hi Bob ...

Oh no ... :eek:

I wasn't speechless really ... I must have started it and then got distracted. I am so sorry ... I will go back and sort it out :)

Wendy

[Ellen]

I'm glad to see everyone's images, another wonderfully varied mix.
Thanks Wendy and Ward for taking the time to comment. Looking back at mine I forgot a few shadow and sizing layers when I did save for web.

[Ritage]

Wendy,
Thank you.
Your No 1 is absolutely beautiful.


Bob,
you had me totally puzzled. The muzzle patterns never occurred to me. I was thinking in terms of heraldry or aboriginal signings. I like it very much.


Ward,
love your kangeroo court, especially the ties.

Rita

[chas3stix]

Wendy,
Thanks for the kind words. I used image size in 10% increments and then cropped accordingly. The paint technique was from the latest video in the subscribers area. Just goes to show you that following the tuts and videos really works.
Chas

[Robyn]

Robyn, on your first image I was loving your background when I got confused about... I see his legs and his tail but what is the other??? :eek:

Oh Kimi............I spotted that AFTER I'd sent it in (too involved in what I was doing to notice it) and wondered if anyone else would notice it. (You know we breed'em 'bigger and better' in Aussie land! :D :D )

Wendy thank you for your comments, they are always appreciated. There were some WONDERFUL entries this time I think. Ward and Ellen, I particularly loved your submissions, both the 'exit' and the 'kangaroo court' just cracked me up....fantastic!

[jstorck]

Wendy,
Thanks for your kind comments. Reguarding #2......... are kangaroos related to rabbits? My, how they multiply. Love the colorations in #3.

Ward, the kangaroo court is very ingenious. Good thought. That one got by me.

Robbin, very nice setting. Your work is absolutely awesome. If I knew I would get similar results I would buy CS2 but I don't think "imagination" is part of the upgrade.

Many great entries this week!

[Pauline]

Well mine was missed but it's up there now. Some roos hanging around with the ice sculptures in Ottawa.

[Ellen]

Pauline - the best for last! I know you are so talented - are/were the roos really ice or did you create them? either way it's great.

[Pauline]

Ellen I wasn't too talented for that piece. All I did was throw in the challenge picture and change them to blue (cause they were cold). The rest was all there. It's from Winterlude in Ottawa. A truly wonderful festival where there is ice carving competitions and the work that is done is truly amazing. That was our first year going and I was blown away by what was created from blocks of ice, chain saws, chizels, etc. Some pieces were finished and others were works in progress so you could watch the artists at work. Truly incredible to see and I remembered I had the boxing kangaroos which would work perfectly with this challenge.

[Rusty]

Pauline,
You did save the best for last!
Rusty

[Pauline]

Thanks Rusty. Grant just missed it in all the confusion and I hadn't done one for so long I didn't want it to get missed!!