Your awesome photos of flowers and gardens can save you big money come holiday season.  The trick is to know how to get started turning a so-so photo into a fine work of art.  The image below of a stunning cottage garden has long been one of my favorites for making cards.  I did a few simple tricks with Photoshop Limited Edition that are easy for anyone to do just as well.

Below is the original photo from which this art image was created.  Here’s what I did:

Crop into a long, wide format like a painter would use.  I also cropped out all but the best flowering plants.

Increase the color intensity so the flowers pop out.

Increase the brightness so there’s not so much dark range as the original shot taken on on a cloudy day so the colors won’t bleach out and few shadows are visible.

Use the “Ink Outline” filter in Photoshop to give it the hand-painted look without sacrificing the crispness of a photo.

I like to print this one onto canvas sheets you can buy for your printer.  I cut out the images and tack them onto a blank card so they can be removed by the recipient to use in other ways.  Our just frame yourself and give for pennies compared to buying something for the art and flower lover in your world.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GHBTW8/ref=cm_cr_thx_view

If you don’t have a Kindle, download the Kindle software for PC to get started on good reads cheap or free.

Download this free, full color eBook for “green” budget holiday decorations created from your garden. You’ll also be inspired to create gifts that help you save big in the coming months.

http://www.moplants.com/eBooks.php

This year, prepare for the holidays outdoors in the garden or on hikes in the country. Avoid overspending by exchanging shopping trips for long walks where you’ll find sticks and seeds and cones to create everything you’ll need to decorate your home. Get the kids involved and teach them the value of what Mother Nature provides and the plants that the pioneers depended on for their own Spartan holidays.