I'm back with more of my favorite new resources that are making an appearance in our Nutrition Education Store this summer. Which are you most excited about?Oil Painting Photos:I'm very proud of the oil painting photos that are now available in the store. Here's how you can make them on your own!Many photo editing programs have a filter that can turn your photos into paintings. In Photoshop, this filter is called "Artistic," and you can choose from a variety of effects, including colored pencils, a palette knife, or watercolor brushes.If you don't have Photoshop, don't despair! Free software includes a downloadable, offline Google Picasa  which can help with the same effect.. You can also try http://www.befunky.com/.Looking for an example? The photo above is a photo of farmer's market vegetables that we turned into an oil painting using the brush effect. I love this effect because it's a great way to turn a favorite photo into an artistic masterpiece. Clients are using these paintings to decorate employee break rooms, offices, and booths at wellness fairs.Here are 5 tips for the perfect photo to oil painting transformation:

• Select a photo with plenty of color and good contrast. Our photo above is a great example because it has orange, green, and white, along with a lot of light and a light background.
• Save the file with a different name or create a layer (Photoshop) so that you are not changing your original photo. After all, you might want to use it again.
• Experiment with different settings. A larger brush size will be easier to see and a lighter background setting usually has a better finished effect.
• Make sure you have a dpi of 300 if you want to produce a print when 72 dpi is suggested for screen viewing to keep the file size small.
• Save your file and upload it to your favorite photo printing service. We like Walmart, Walgreens and Costco, but there are plenty of others out there too.

Here is an example of a photo of fruit kabobs that was transferred into a color pencil sketch:Of course if you want a glorious Farmer's Market 3 pack of that vegetable photo, it is available in our store. You can use it for artistic decoration, wellness fair displays, or as giveaway prizes.Exam Room Posters:We have had some requests for smaller posters that are the perfect size for exam rooms. These posters are 12x18 and laminated. They are perfect for doctor's offices, waiting rooms, school nurse offices, dietitian's offices, and public health rooms.I love these posters because they explain diet and disease simply, in a compelling manner, and they don't take up a lot of space. Here are the topics that are available now:

• Prevent the Flu
• MyPlate
• ABCs of Diabetes Management
• Exercise
• Cholesterol
• Blood Pressure
• Diabetes Risk
• Do You Need to Lose Weight?

View them all here!Easy Easel for Poster and Sign Display:Did you know that we have a cardboard easel that you can purchase? You can use it to display posters, a sign, or a message on a meeting table, wellness fair exhibit, or counter? Check it out!Dental Health PosterWe have received numerous requests for a nutrition and dental health poster. Thanks to Dr. Gigi Huynh, DDS, of Concord Smile, now you can buy one!  Dr. Gigi Huynh gave us valuable input about using an ADA approved toothpaste and electric tooth brush, and we were thrilled to put that information into a poster,  along with a look at MyPlate and a healthful diet.Did you know that MyPlate mentions dental health in its vegetable section? It reads, "Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption." Shameless mother's plug for all teachers and parents!!Do you need an app for your students or children to stay on top of their class assignments and boost GPA? Check out this app written by my son, Nicholas Doherty.https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/omni-study/id679458942?ls=1&mt=8And that's all for today!-- Judy Doherty, PC II