How to save your flood damaged photographs!

One of the images on the news that distressed me was of muddy, soaking family albums sitting on a pile of garbage. Family photographs are so precious to me and I would be so distressed if they were to be damaged. Many people have digital copies of their special photographs, however some people don't...

photo by Leesa Perry Photography

Your photographs can be saved!!

Mark from Brisbane's Art House Reproductions and Inkjet Lab is offering an amazing service for flood damaged photos to preserve, scan and copy them to disk free of charge!!

 "Art House Reproductions and Inkjet Lab survived the flood unscathed and would like to do our share to help."

Their office is in the beautiful inner city suburb of Bowen Hills and I believe the flood waters got pretty close.

Mark has added some tips on how to clean your photographs and store then until they can be scanned and has created a page on his website here to help you with this.

from Mark Lutz at Inkjet Lab :

"If you see anyone with damaged photos get them to rinse them thoroughly in fresh clean water and lay them out on towels to dry. This will help save the vast majority of them. if there are any photos in frames behind glass, get them out of there asap, taking great care when peeling the photo off the glass as it can stick, then rinse as before."

If considering Mark's generous offer please go to his website for exact details. He requires you to store your clean wet photos in sealed bags and get them to him as soon as possible. 

SOME FURTHER TIPS TO SAVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS!

• The important thing is to clean them to remove mud before they dry!

• They need to be immersed in clean water and rinsed by wiping your hands over the 

   wet surface under running water.

• Dry them on a flat surface in a clean dry area. Lay them out on a clean absorbent paper towel or cloth.

• They must be thoroughly dry before storing away again.

If you are scanning your photographs yourself keep in mind that as long as they have been cleaned and dried as soon as possible they then can be stored and scanned and retouched at a later date.


• Another helpful link: useful information on cleaning 
individual photographs and whole albums ~RBG Digital Pro Lab

Immeasurable Loss

Feeling very fortunate my family is safe and dry.
I hope everyone else is too.
It's scary thinking of what other families must be going through today.

My most sincere sympathy to those in South East Queensland who have not been so fortunate.

Bowls Club Brekky

The park was rained out for our work's Breakfast In The Park, fortunately
we had the keys to the Lawn Bowls Club next door..
I love this place ~ it should be heritage listed. I was so happy to have the opportunity to take some pics before the time comes when someone will tragically decide to do a "revamp".
I took heaps but my little camera was quickly running out of batteries!

The Ladies'

We were under instruction not to let the children run wild in the Lawn Bowl Ladies' Powder Room 

as they are very particular about it, as they should be.

It's gorgeous! 

I liked the vintage wallpaper in the kitchen.

I have been to a few parties and barefoot bowling here. Everyone always loves it and I am 

completely bowled over by the authentic vintage factor. A favourite place in my little suburbia.

"Stuff I Found in my Office Clean Up and Nearly Missing Harry Potter"

I organized for my 6 year old to go to Nana and Grandad's so my older son and I could see Harry Potter. I probably don't even need to explain the happiness and joy of anticipation we felt driving through the sun dappled, leafy streets of Hawthorne as we made our way to the cinema - cause that's how we all feel on our way to see Harry Potter...... this is what greeted us when we got there

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

we weren't even late, normally we are late for things but we weren't ~ I was gutted and 

had to sit down for a few moments.

Fortunately, my very kind friend offered to have the little one for a whole night sleep over so we could make it to another session later that night!

Here is some of what was unearthed during my office cleaning ~ letters {at least} 20 years old from high school days - So funny to read back over, I am glad I kept them.

{you know you were a kid in the 80's if you put a "z" on the end of your name}

some beautiful cards!

a box of art stuff including some of my Father's things from his art collage days ~ this is what people used before Adobe Creative Suite!

they are still good to use!  Aren't they beautiful!

My Bin Brimmeth Over

So - I am back at work tomorrow after about ten days off and am looking forward to seeing everyone again but I have been having a great laid back time at home - I don't want it to be over.
I've been cleaning out my office and that's been a massive job, bin loads and bin loads, loads for the op shop and still not finished!
I have found some treasures though! {to be shown at a later date}
I've also been doing all sorts of jobs around the house, sorting and tidying, it's never ending but it feels good when you get something crossed off your list that has been bugging you for ages.
And I've been doing some reading and, in between working on some graphic design jobs, spending time with the boys, gardening, we caught a movie...

A fanatstic and very handy poster from peppermint mag.

I got a copy for my birthday and am enjoying it heaps - just as fresh and minty as it sounds, heaps of good websites to discover, great articles, beautiful photographs and illustrations.

Anyhow - I ripped this baby out straight away ~ just perfect cause my little one does get a bit confused, bless him, as to what goes into which bin. Hopefully there will be no more need for me to be picking out soggy bits of cereal and drynites from the recycling!!!

This lovely artist, Burntfeather has a site where you can download the poster for free or purchase a print here!

I've just finished reading Cold Comfort Farm {one of the books I picked up whilst op 

shopping last week}.

Added to my pile of "Chick Lit" novels, the only difference being these are absolute classics and were all written early last century and even the one before yet just as funny and entertaining and endearing as the modern variety.

A writer from the 1930's has the exactly same sort of dilemmas and antics and quirky characters in her story as our contemporary heroines from the last decade or so are subjected to by their authors. Financial crisis, boy trouble, what to wear, uptight inlaws, all sorts of domestic disturbances. They go to parties, they keep diaries, they fall in love, they get their hearts broken, they make us laugh.

I found this notebook and have, with the help of some mt tape and a stamped tag, delegated it to be my reading diary for 2011~ one entry already!

Happy New Year!

Happy end of 2010 and Happy New Year for 2011 - I can't believe it! 2010 was meant to be my year - it was the year of the tiger but nothing was blowing me away... I didn't win lotto and I didn't meet the man of my dreams, however on reflection and in summary a lot of good, life changing stuff happened and a few crappy things too. Best wishes for the year to come!

We in Brisbane have managed a few rain free days and we have been making the most of them.

The minute the rain stopped there was a chorus of lawnmowers across the neighbourhood singing out to me to add mine to their droning. I was only too happy to get stuck into my lawn that had grown about 20cm in a week but the dratted mower wouldn't start so I had to be contented with the weeding. 

The weeds in this humid, wet weather are having the run of the place and kept me busy for a while. 

The backyard has enough mud to fill a mosh pit, sadly without the cool music and scantily clad 19 year olds but with my ipod turned up loud enough and squinting my eyes at the right angle at the large stinky ibis haunting my yard I can almost pretend...

We ventured down to Wynnum with friends on the first afternoon of no rain although it was still overcast. Not too overcast to get saturated in the sea pool and water park. I love Wynnum and as I like to recall my oldest son announcing when he was 5 on a trip there, "I love Women".

There is some pretty good op shopping to be done there - I found these sweet pineapple plates, some books and these shot glasses which were a timely find because I was presented with a trusty "cowboy" drinks kit for my birthday ~ so that's YNE sorted! 

 {*please note ~ I cannot, to save my life, get the one mix 

to float atop the other ~ but it all tastes the same in the end}

The boys and I and our visitors have been having fun with 

this stick-on blackboard frame on our fridge - my New Year Resolution! 

{which fittingly, is written in chalk and will be replaced by a drawing of Ben 10 by tomorrow}

hold on tight for the new year is coming fast or maybe... let go!

Wished up but not washed out!

Amidst the torrential rain yesterday I celebrated my birthday and got lots of lovely birthday wishes and pretty cards and gifty goodness. There was an old fashioned spice cake made by Mum and a ricotta berry cheesecake with whipped cream and blueberries made by my sister and a surprise lamington cheesecake slice made by my friend Jamie! Oh dear!

Some birthday gifts ~ sitting in the letter rack, from "Happy Animal Time" postcard book by Junzo Terada {a fabulous blog write up with more yummy pictures here at the Daily Smudge} from Chronicle Books  which has 30 very happy postcards {absolutely beautiful vintagey illustrations in gorgeous colours} - I chose this one with the umbrella for today! 

And, soooo hard to choose my favourite so I may have to get some more, but I think this one my friend gave me is it ~ "miss lemon" by art and ghosts from a series of prints and frames {to go with them} published by lalaland found online here and have also been spotted around Brisbane at discerning boutiques and even a news agent!

To avoid cabin fever, today during a short reprieve from the downpour, we grabbed umbrellas and wellingtons and escaped for a walk...

I picked some of these from a large bush growing wildly along the bike path and took some cuttings to hopefully grow in my garden

 You know you want to too!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

 Christmas Lights!

 it took a village to make this gingerbread cottage ~ about five adults, four kids and 

three extra adults to take photographs

                                            

the boss lady trying to sweeten me up

late night wrapping and a pretty kitten

Not ready for this Christmas to be over ~ we may have to extend it for a few more days...

Am very full and happy and tired. The boys loved everything they received, lots of lovely presents for me too, a highlight being a new external hard drive {joy! ~ no more cranky messages from my mac}.

Have loved catching up over the last week with friends, doing the crazy last minute all night shop at Chermside, staying up late baking and wrapping presents and spending a chilled out day today with my family. Finishing off tonight with a lovely big family dinner with family from far away who we don't get to see very often so it was extra special, but all over too soon.

Christmas Treats from Flickr

little world, originally uploaded by ohsewpretty.