A slightly later than usual Let’s Phlog Monday, but still posted on a Monday evening for all my readers waaaay over there.

I am more than a little bit excited about my post today because I have the opportunity of showcasing someone else’s amazing talent. It’s a real joy discovering something just a little bit different and having the channel to share it.

We live in a wonderful age where despite all of its sins technology has opened up a whole realm of possibility and connection beyond our front fence. I had the good fortune to meet up with a North American talented photographer and digital scrapbooker, Toni Legates, through technology and a mutual friend.  Toni’s work runs the gamut from pure scrapbooking to visual melded design incorporating photography and scrapbooking. Put simply, I love her designs and I wanted to share a sampling with you.

Toni’s work moves beyond the realm of the obvious and incorporates a level of depth and dimension that is a feast to the senses. Every piece is meaningful and relevant. Every piece is a testament to designing talent.

Toni says “I’ve never worked in film photography.  My first camera was a digital point & shoot.  When I loaded the first photos I would take with this little low resolution camera I was instantly transported into a world of possibility.  I also discovered I had much to learn.  Shortly after realizing I could  make magic with my camera I found a free open source, editing program called GIMP and set out teaching myself how to use it.  Then it happened, I saw my first scrapbooking layout and knew that somehow I was home!  Not only could I take and edit beautiful images but I could greatly increase their impact by creating a layout that helped tell the story of my photos.  After teaching myself how to scrapbook and confidently putting those skills to use, I began looking around online at wonderful quotes and sayings that had deep meaning for me.  Those words inspired me to create my own spin on them creating something not only uplifting but beautiful to look at.  Every photo and every quote speaks to me and tells me what it wants to become visually.”

Please sit back and enjoy the work of Toni Legates straight from Toni’s digital darkroom.

A masthead for the blog, Love is An Action Verb:

Love is An Action Verb – design by Toni Legates

A highly stylized image with added artistic design elements to give a real piercing effect:

Nita’s Beaming Eye – photo and design by Toni Legates

A clever digital meld of two photos, which I am calling Smoke On The Water. A case of seek and you shall find?

Photo by Toni Legates

A digital scrapbooking montage of the quote Listening Heart:

Listening Heart – design by Toni Legates

You can find a further example of Toni’s work in my A to Z April Blogging Challenge post, O is for Orchard: Finding the Sweet Success of Life.

Toni’s designs leave an impression and I have carried them with me long after the first sighting. I hope you enjoy this magical mystical tour through Toni’s dark room and I can’t wait to see what new designs emerge from its depths in the future.

And now for the question of the day, is scrapbooking an action verb?