All is not as it seems

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This was a little toy, no bigger than an inch, that I photographed with my new macro lenses. It reminded me of Tim Burton's Nightmare at Christmas and the mood in the film which never quite managed scary but always seemed gentle and loving to me. So this is my hommage to Tim Burton, one of my favourite film makers. :-)

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

iPhone case on Society6

iPad case on Redbubble

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

a broken heart lasts forever

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This is a photo collage inspired by a picture of some glass shards I took a little while ago. The shards made the shape of a heart and I added the photo of a hand drawn heart and clouds and lots of textures to create this.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

cushion cover on Society6

tote bag on Society6

 

hoodie on RedBubble

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these), t-shirts and tote bags.

Merry Christmas

 Sammie protecting the Christmas presents

 Cute twig bangles from Etsy

Tuna Salad Canapés (recipe below)

Blue Cheese and Pear Canapés (recipe below)

Eggnogg and Chocolate Gateau (recipe here)

A little bit of Christmas cheer.
Tuna Salad Canapés
These are perfect for parties.

Salad:

2 cans of tuna in brine
1 medium stalk of celery finely cubed
1 red pepper finely cubed
1 shallot finely cubed
3 tablespoons of olives chopped up
half a tin of kidney beans chopped up
1 small chilli (as hot as you like or not)
1 tomato finely cubed
1 tablespoon of parsley finely chopped

1 courgette sliced in 1/4" slices fried in a little olive oil, dried and cooled on some kitchen paper
1 packet of cheese crackers

vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons of good mayonnaise
1 pinch or oregano
1 pinch of nigella seed (also called onion seeds or black sesame)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of lime or lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 small clove of garlic, finely chopped
pepper/salt to taste

Some tomate slices for garnish (or olives, capers or whatever you feel like).

Mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette, then add all the salad ingredients. Mix well. This works best if it is left to stand for a while.

Place a slice of courgette on a cracker, then add a nice dollop of salad on top and garnish with tomato or olive or parsley or anything else you have to had and arrange them nicely on a plate. The courgette will prevent the juices from the salad seeping through to the cracker for a while, but not too long, so it's a good idea to prepare it last minute.

Blue Cheese and Pear Canapés
50g of Shropshire Blue
50g of Stilton
150g of cream cheese
2 tablespoons of cream
2 tablespoons of sherry

1 pack of German Rye Bread

2 hard pears
juice of half a lemon

Mix all the ingredients for the cheese dip together (you can add more sherry/cream to make it more like a dip if you want and serve it in a bowl with crackers as an alternative) until the mix is smooth.

Peel, core and slice the pears into small pieces and leave them in some water mixed with lemon juice to prevent them from getting brown. Dry on some paper towel when ready to garnish the canapés.

Cut the bread into 1 1/2" squares and place a dollop of the blue cheese mix on each. Garnish with the pears and some pepper.

Have a great holiday. :-) 

Lonely Winterberry

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Merry Christmas everyone! Have a lovely holiday (even if you don't celebrate).

This was taken last week when I went out to coffee with a couple of friends. I couldn't resist the red berries against the foggy background. I seem to have Snow White on my mind all this winter. LOL

All images/textures my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

The Carnival is Here

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

I took this a couple of days ago. It was a little merrygoround standing in a field waiting to be 'deployed'. I love the arrangement of lights and the colours so took a picture. Now I wish I'd taken more. :-)

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

 

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Velvet Leaves

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Taken in my garden a couple of days ago. The leaves grow through the back of a bench and I just loved the way they'd arranged themselves. Heavily edited with colour adjustments and textures.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Love Hurts

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Taken in my garden a couple of days ago. This image of a Berberis branch has been taken with my macro lens. I loved the play of light on the branch and in the background. Colour adjustments and a couple of textures.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This image was taken yesterday in my front garden. Yes, there are still a few roses in my garden even in the depth of winter. :-) I love roses and this one is a particular favourite of mine because of its lovely scent. The quite 'a rose is a rose is a rose' is by Getrude Stein. I always love the assurance of the quote. You can read about it here.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Winter Collection

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

My latest products in my Society6 shop. Lots of new cushion covers, totebags, laptop, Pad and iPhone skins, t-shirts, cards and prints. This is just a small selection of my latest images. I ♥ the new cushion covers on Society6, they're so cute. 

 Get them here.

A Touch of Frost

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Taken in my garden. I have no idea what this plant is - it's probably a weed but it looked totally magical covered in frost. The picture on the right-hand side is of the frost collected on a wheel barrow. It might be cold but it's pretty. :-)

No textures, just cover adjustments and a little cropping. All my own images edited in Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Icy Needles

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Taken in my garden a few days ago when it was cold rather than raining. I love the icy needles on the gooseberry leaves. They look like glitter. :-) The images were taken with a macro lens and then edited with curves and colour adjustments in Photoshop. No textures.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

A Sprinkling of Sugar

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Taken in my garden yesterday morning. There's a wild rose bush in my garden which I haven't had the heart to cut down because it's so pretty both in summer when it's covered in lovely pale pink flowers and in winter when it's covered in rosehips and provides some much needed winter colour. I've been using a macro lense to get a closeup of the frozen frost on the rosehip and the leaves. Some cropping and colour adjustments, no textures.

All images my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Winter Blossom I

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This was taken in my garden in the fog a couple of days ago. I am not quite sure what this winter flowering shrub is but it looks very pretty with its waxy pale pink flower baskets. I love the way the stark bare branches look against the pale winter sky. It always reminds me of the beginning of the Snow White fairy tale.

"Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, a queen sat at a window sewing, and the frame of the window was made of black ebony. And whilst she was sewing and looking out of the window at the snow, she pricked her finger with the needle, and three drops of blood fell upon the snow. And the red looked pretty upon the white snow, and she thought to herself, "Would that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood of the window-frame."

(Read the whole tale here.)

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Rosehip

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This was taken in my garden yesterday. There was a low hanging fog that made everything a bit vague, a little faded. This is not a rose but a rosehip where the outer skin has burst and is now hanging off in strips so the rosehip looks like a rosebud, rather than a rosehip. Seemed poetic somehow. :-) I've edited the colours and added a texture and vignette but otherwise it has been left untouched.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Winter is coming

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

I love the Game of Thrones series (and, yes, I did read all the books, can't wait for the new one). This image was taken in my garden last week to try out my new wide anlge lens. I had a play with it in Photoshop and that is how it came out after lots of colour adjustments and a few snow textures.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Winter Moon

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

My first use of my new wide angle lense. I took an image of the sky through the bare rose bushes in my garden and then added textures and colour adjustments and cropped the image to this size. I also added a vignette to exaggerate the sense of cold moon light.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Feet Firmly on the Path

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Taken in November in Cambridgeshire. No textures, just colour adjustments and a little lensblur to the bottom and top. There is something so special about the colours of autumn, with the last remnants of green and the bright yellows, oranges and vibrant reds of the leaves against the stark black of the bark and soil.

All images my own. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

waiting in silence

 © Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This is an image I created for the 1/52 project (week 48). There are two photographs of the ice that has frosted over a water barrel in the garden, one a close-up shot (macro lens) of the ice at the front, the other a macro shot of the reflection of the rose bushes in the ice. I've added textures and colour adjustments and cropped it. There's a second landscape version I'll post tomorrow.

There is also a poem to go with it, which can be read here.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Seed Pods Triptych

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

A triptych of my seed pod images. The perfect present for an avid gardener. The images were taken with a macro lens and edited mostly with colour adjustments to achieve this effect.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Fake Tomatoes

... not really. This is just what my son called them when he first saw them. LOL They are in fact lily seed pods. I love their vibrant colour, like bright orange pea pods. :-) They're quite big too, the seeds are as big as marrow fat peas and the pods are between 2.5 and 3".

Seed Pods I

© Sybille Sterk Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

 Seed Pods II

© Sybille Sterk Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

 Seed Pods III

© Sybille Sterk Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Chinese Lanterns Triptych and Tetraptych

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This is the final set in the series. Promise, there won't be any more. LOL I couldn't decide, which one I liked betters, so here's the triptych and the tetraptych.  I thought they'd make a great Christmas present.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Chinese Lanterns III and IV

Chinese Lanterns III

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Chinese Lanterns III

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

The second instalment in the Chinese Lanterns set. Getting a little closer each time. I am so pleased I invested in these little ornaments - they weren't very expensive but were a great subject to take pictures of.

Two more images to come - a triptych and a tetraptych.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

Chinese Lanterns I and II

Chinese Lanterns I

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Chinese Lanterns II

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

This is part of a set, there are two more. I wanted to create a mix and match set that was stylish and a little different with intense colours. There will also be a triptych and a tetraptych in this set. I truly couldn't decide which one I liked best. LOL

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

All the new covers... for cushions :-)

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

I've finally managed to update all the cushion covers so the images sit nicely on the cover and look pretty. I can't decide which one I like best. Which one is your favourite?

Check them out here.

a song in the dark

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

A photograph I took a couple of weekends ago. I love the autumn colours and the last of the fruit of the season. There's something so precious about this and it gives hope for another spring.

The words of the poem are mine:

the pyramids still stand
so why shouldn't I walk away
with a smile in my future and
a seed of hope
like a spark in the night
why shouldn't there be
a crown somewhere ahead or
at the very least
a rosebush
thorns and all

The whole poem can be read here

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

Christmas is coming

... get your cards now. :-)

New Christmas Cards

Available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas.

Some of the designs will be available without the writing after Christmas.

Willow and Autumn Leaves Triptych

Willow Triptych

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Autumn Leaves Triptych

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Three images of an autumnal willow. I love the detail on these shots. And three images of the wood in autumn. I love going to the woods and seeing all the colours any time of year, even in winter when the colours are mostly black and white. There's something so peaceful about a forest.

All six images were shot last weekend by me and have been edited with (bought) textures and actions from Apples & Sisters in Photoshop.

Either or both would make a great Christmas present. :-)

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas).

dreams

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Isn't it strange how in dreams so many things make sense and are perfectly reasonable and even normal and when we wake up we are left with this feeling that we missed something, that there was a message there which we failed to understand?

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas).

Into the Sky

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

It's funny how much a place can change from one season to another and how the beauty is different but still there. I love architectural plants, like this (what I believe to be) angelica. It looks so pretty with its umbrella spine baskets and the little tatters of flowers and leaves left on it.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas).

Kitten Power

Essential Black Cat (Sammie)

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Essential Black Cat is part of my new series of images for licensing on Arcangel-Images - use this code: SYST-00323

Ollie and the toy lorry

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Cats are so special and these two are even more so. They get up to some amazing, endearing and sometimes annoying stuff. LOL

I managed to catch Sammie and his very cute nose with my new macro lenses.

Ollie is interested in anything that moves (and some things that don't).

There's never a dull moment in the house with two kittens around. Right now Sammie is keeping me company (and making sure there are no spelling mistakes). He's sitting on my computer desk and following my fingers as I type. He just tried to give the picture of his brother on the screen a hug. LOL

Created with my own photographs in Photoshop, no stock used.

bitter taste

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

only a hint of flowers remains
like a dream and a kiss
a tiny little speck of hope
a seed for a future far away

Words and photographs my own, textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

The complete poem can be read here.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). 

Ivy - Autumn

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Pictures of ivy taken yesterday at Byron's Pool in Cambridgeshire. I love the beautiful heartshape of ivy, and although this part of the ivy was dried rather than juicy and green I loved the copper colour against the rough bark.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas).

Hug

© Sybille Sterk

Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

I had a play with a toy, my new macro lenses and the depth setting on my camera. :-) I thought it would make a perfect gift for someone you care about, be it as a laptop skin, iPad or iPhone case or just a print. You can't go wrong with a hug. :-)

Part of my new series of images for licensing on Arcangel-Images - use this code: SYST-00319

Created with my own photographs in Photoshop, no stock used.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas).

Note: New iPad cases on Redbubble!