CHRISTMAS!!!

The kids and I are really enjoying this festive time! Maui was of course always beautiful and stunning us with her incredible backdrops for the holidays, however San Diego has been a real treat. It's feels so much more "holidayish" with the cooler weather, jackets and scarves and Christmas lights hung everywhere. I'm hoping our tree won't cost us an arm and a leg too like it did on Maui.....

How to make these cute little nostalgic profile images!

"* Using your digital camera, place your subject against a plain white or neutral background. Turn them so it's a profile shot. Stand up straight kiddos!

* Open the picture in Photoshop. Use the Magic Wand tool to select the background for removal. Once clicked, the background will be outlined and highlighted. Go to 'edit' and click 'cut.' The background will disappear.

* Now go to 'image' and click 'adjustments.' Select 'desaturate' to remove all color.

* In 'adjustments,' select 'brightness/contrast.' Lower the brightness and increase the contrast until your image takes the form of a silhouette.

* If the image isn't completely silhouetted, use the Paintbucket tool (with black as the color selection) to fill in as needed, placing the cursor dead center and clicking until your desired effect is achieved.

* Using the Image tool, select 'image size' to set your desired dimensions.

* Save your silhouette as a JPEG file.

It's fun to add some eyelashes on the girls too. :)