http://fairygodmother.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:25:25 GMT 2009-12-31T18:25:25Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977697929 Catherine Asaro's latest, Diamond Star is a fast-paced adventure that sets the microcosm of star-maker machinery in the music industry against the macrocosm of interstellar intrigue. The main character, . . . Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:11:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977697929 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2009-06-01T13:11:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977499384 One of my heroes as a writer is Alice Walker.  Regardless of your politics or your opinion of the outcome of the elections, please read Ms. Walker's words of wisdom as if they were addressed . . . Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:26:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977499384 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2008-11-06T12:26:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977279348 1. Dated an elf?............Innocent, but I hAve dated a few ogres and trolls 2. Gotten a hickey?.........................Guilty 3. Dated your best friend?.............. Guilty, I married him and . . . Sat, 08 Mar 2008 23:12:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977279348 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2008-03-08T23:12:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977274629  Here's a way to get your brain cranked up again to stay productive! I've been teaching spider-webbing and clustering for years as part of teaching essay writing, but now . . . Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:22:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977274629 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2008-03-03T22:22:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977196223 1.  Were you named after anyone?   Queen Charlotte 2.    When was the last time you cried? yesterdayt at a sweet move: Waitress 3.  Do you like your handwriting? . . . Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:39:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977196223 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-12-06T17:39:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977179536 If you are going to plunk down a few thousand to self-publish your book, you need to read about the WriteWise program which will become available in December. I am an associate of the Bookwise company, . . . Sat, 17 Nov 2007 04:04:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977179536 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-17T04:04:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977177511 Yesterday I saw the biggest check I had ever seen....not only was it large in size (probably 30 inches by 60 inches for the photo op) but it was made out for $1.25 MILLION dolllars. It was money given . . . Thu, 15 Nov 2007 02:24:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977177511 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-15T02:24:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977176401 I talked to an engineer today about why girls don't take engineering classes, and I told him that one reason was that legos and other building toys did not come in PINK!  He gave me this . . . Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:25:00 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977176401 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-14T00:25:00Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977175853 Since coming back from our last residency at Pacifica, I've been working through the backlog of unfinished projects and neglected chores here at home. I mistakenly thought that I would have a lot . . . Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:59:21 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977175853 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-13T12:59:21Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977175146 I'm doing some research for an article. What are your pet peeves of grammar issues?  Why does it irritate you?  What do you have the most trouble with in editing writing?  Grammar, . . . Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:32:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977175146 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-12T21:32:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977173127 Dowsing is a very practical method of communicatin with the collective unconsious, the Inner Being, The Powers That Be or whatever you want to call the information available from the Universe.  For . . . Sat, 10 Nov 2007 14:46:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977173127 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-10T14:46:44Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977170359 The best way to get students personally involved in learning is to integrate what they are being taught with their worldview.   I often give my technical writing students an assignment to research . . . Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:01:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977170359 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-07T19:01:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977168772 He called me tonight wanting me to Western Uinon money to him for gas so that he can work this week.  I told him that using Western Uion would cost about as much as I could afford to send him, which . . . Tue, 06 Nov 2007 02:33:01 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977168772 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-06T02:33:01Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977168715 Here's another picture from the morning glory series. I have noticed how popular the pink and blue colors are, but I thought the sign on the parking lot across the street made an interesting contrast . . . Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:23:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977168715 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-06T01:23:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977166836 Rivers of blood  streaming From my wrists  as I spin in the living room A spurting dervish Writes lines on the walls That I won’t . . . Sun, 04 Nov 2007 02:58:49 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977166836 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-04T02:58:49Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977166757 And boy was it a mess! My house is spotless compared to this mess. This was really a challenge,and it took me a number of hours to clone the walls back into shape, replace the floors and ceiling, once . . . Sun, 04 Nov 2007 01:19:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977166757 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-04T01:19:50Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977166320  The marketing articles I read talk about "what gets you up in the morning" as the key to your success. I am stymied on this concept because the two things that get me up in the morning . . . Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:35:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977166320 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-03T14:35:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977165457 The stuff you find when you are looking for something else...... http://www.sxc.hu/blog/post/924 using layers and quick mask to make flawless skin by  litechnick Thsi very simple tutorial . . . Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:26:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977165457 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-02T16:26:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977164867 I used only a few filters this time and layered them: Desaturate and Cut out. I also stole a Brachiosaur, flipped him over horizontally, scaled him smaller, and made him a shadow.  I like to add . . . Fri, 02 Nov 2007 01:10:36 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977164867 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-11-02T01:10:36Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977163529 Flakes of dying sunlight float over badly engineered concrete, reflecting their mother’s bony arms against mourning clouds.   The woman skirts the puddles while others wade through, splashing . . . Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:59:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977163529 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-31T17:59:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977160611 The How to Cheat in Photoshop Challenge this week is to make Dorothy a witch and The Wicked Witch not.  Here's a couple of my entries, not nearly so creative as some of the others, mainly . . . Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:44:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977160611 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-28T22:44:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977155959 © by Charlotte Babb This is a proposed scene of the sequel to my novel. I'd appreciate any comnents on it as a stand alone piece.   ------------------------------------------------------------ . . . Tue, 23 Oct 2007 20:18:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977155959 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-23T20:18:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977153686 Just playing on Dumpr.com.  This is the orginal photo with a bit of cropping, but no editing.  You;ve seen this before.  Then I used photoshop to experiment with twirl and polar coordinates, . . . Sun, 21 Oct 2007 16:15:36 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977153686 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-21T16:15:36Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977153664 Answer in the comments and tell me things about you, then PUBLISH & POST your own to see the answers that others have for you :) 1. Do you have a tattoo? not yet 2. How old are you? 56 3. . . . Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:44:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977153664 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-21T14:44:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977153187 This questionnaire is different from the others because in this instance you get a question and get to give four answers.  When listing please note that the answers are not in any particular order.  . . . Sat, 20 Oct 2007 21:37:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977153187 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-20T21:37:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977152447 I learned a lot of tricks from How to Cheat in Photoshop . The author runs a Friday Challege contest http://www.howtocheatinphotoshop.com/cgi-bin/simpleforum_pro.cgi?fid=06&topic_id=1192781850 . . . Fri, 19 Oct 2007 23:33:23 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977152447 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-19T23:33:23Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977150984 Non-Messy Fun!  Start with a picture of a pumpkin. This one is small, but it was public domain and legal to use. I'd rather have chosen a better picture but I didn't have access to one. First . . . Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:04:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977150984 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-18T14:04:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977150675 Veronical asked a question that got me to thinking about how much fun it can be to manipulate photos. I took a picture form this summer featuring my friend Karen and her partner Cynthia. Since Karen was . . . Thu, 18 Oct 2007 03:25:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977150675 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-18T03:25:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977150486 The clone tool copies the information fropm one place in an image to another. if used carefully and judiciously, you can take out lots of extraneous information.  See examples below.     . . . Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:26:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977150486 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-17T22:26:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977148338 When I was about four years old, my parents bought my grandfather's house, and he moved into a new house he had built. This house was on three acres of land, open fields where my grandfather worked . . . Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:14:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977148338 Charlotte Babb Maven-Fairy Godmother 2007-10-16T17:14:40Z