Thank you, Beverly. I'm glad you liked this one. It was fun to atch it unfold! Vicki

Thank you for your great compliment, PG. I often find a double image utilizing a mat or frame can accentuate my message more clearly. In this case, the lower left corner of the primary image seemed a great place to overlap the flowers and give them a double purpose, as like the trees, they too struggle to take root in the loose shale. Vicki

Thank you for all your great feedback, lorraine, Don, OB, Carol, Alandra and May.

Actually, I've used a variant of this before, but added a 'twist' this time.

Alandra - I went back to my 'comfort zone' here - DIS 2006. I could probably get more 'oomph' out of my newer Paint Shop Pro XI, but am still exploring it to utilize Painter better.(Maybe we need to 'play' with that one together!!!)

The background image was used to emphasize the south face loose shale quality that the main photo plants were growing in. I had a shale image with and without the wildflowers and decided to utilize the one with the flowers.

1) The tree image was the primary. To that one I added a simple edging, unlocked and reduced it.

2) I added a blank rectangular shape, the same size as the original and inserted the shale rock/wildflower image.

2a) Adjust this image until its elements are where you want them when finished. (In my instance, the flowers were in the center - when I had the idea of utilizing the flowers into the lower left I moved and enlarged its position til it was where I wanted it to be.)

2b) Keep this image on top awhile. Match the border color to the primary image.

2c) Determine how much of this image you want to overlap the primary image. In this instance, I cut around the flowers and the bottom left corner. I used a cut and paste to create a third layer of the corner.

2d) Now bring the primary image forward, so it's on top of the background but still behind the corner flowers.

3) Position the primary image where it's the most pleasing.

At this point, the colors and textures were still too strong and had no contrast, but it was important for me to show the shale texture. I added one more rectangle, edging it with the same color as the other two and inserted it behind the primary image leaving just enough white showing for effect.

The shale was still a bit heavy, so I used a graduated transparency effect over the bottom layer - but not the corner flowers.

When satisfied, I pulled the entire shale image in from the edge for a second white edge . . . added my signature and hit 'save as' and you now see the result.

I never know just how an image will present itself from the time I capture the image until you see it on TLF.

Some images remain pure while others lend themselves to more creativity.

very attractive, Vicki, spotted it right away. Echoing all the other comments here. Are you using the new program? I haven't installed mine yet :)

Very original idea you had here with the frame & compo.

A very nice image well done.