So the daily thing is not working...

I will post when I can.
This is a paint.net layer blend mode chart that I created in paint.net for my students.

This shows the different effect that can be achieved with the different blend modes. 
Normal shows the layer above the cupcake image in each example.

Day 3

Today I focused on radial symmetry design.
This is a simple design that required many layers.

1. Paint.net
2. The bottom layer was a simple circle outline.
3. The next layer was guidelines
4. Each pie piece was copied from the previous one and flipped and rotated.
5. Each piece was duplicated and blurred to make a shadow.
6. The top layer was made of simple brush strokes of color.  An effect was added, 7. distort-frosted glass
7. Then a blending mode was applies-reflective.

Day 2

Photo manipulation
Original photo from morguefile.com

1. Photo manipulatioin
2. Paint.net
3. 10 layers
4. Several effects used:  render clouds, blur, zoom unfocus
5. Layer blending modes: color dodge
6. Adjustments, contrast, saturation, black and white, contrast

Day 1

1. Done in Paint.net
2. 4 layers
3. layer "Background", blending mode- Reflect.
4. Effects used distort-dents and diestort-frosted glass
4. Completed in under an hour