If you don't have VUE you can download the VUE 6 PLE for free to play with.  After 30 days you will get a watermark on your renders, but you can still export from it.  I use the PLE to make some models, because I can see 4 views at once. 

Download it from e-on and give it a try.  Some .vob files have been locked so they cannot be exported. 

Let us know if it works for you.

You may be able to export the object from Vue.  
Just choose 'Export Object" from the 'File' menu.  I haven't done this very much, but i think there may be some objects taht can't export.

Export in .obj or whatever you want, then import them into Bryce.

Do a google search for 'Bryce Easter Eggs'. There should be a list of keyboard shortcuts that will be helpful for you.  They are not listed in the manual.  The list was made a while ago, but i think most of them still work.

I also believe there is a short tutorial about linking pistons and wheels.  Maybe at  DAZ.

There are many cool things that can be done with linking in Bryce.  You can also do searches for 'linking in bryce" or some variation.

Since you don't have photoshop get the GIMP.  It's free and works great!!
Celestia makes great starfields but the pics need to be edited.

Bless His Noodly Appendage!!   Lead me to the Beer Volcano. 
What a  great idea for a challenge.

Here's a link to the Daz tutorial section for cel or toon shading.
http://www.daz3d.com/i.x/tutorial/tutorial/-/?id=1911

It's fun!!

Cel shading is making something look like a hand drawn animation 'cel'.
Usually a solid color with a black outline.    

Actually it's 30 days of no watermarks up to 800x600.  But you can still render up to maximum with watermarks, anytime.  

On all pics there is a Vue6 logo in the bottom right corner - including the first 30 days.  Plan your pics accordingly.

I think PLEs are a  great idea and so good for letting us try it out before plunking down a month's rent on some 1s and 0s.

The ambient inner bag sounds great.  That's kind of what I was thinking but your way seems the most promising.  Maybe you can rig it up so the ambience is stronger near the flame and gets less farther away.  I will wait for your render, and experiment a bit myself.

A hot air balloon is not solid, a bit of transparency should be ok.  If not the light can't be seen.
You could try a hollow balloon and make the inside an even color to help with the light.  The outside can be multicolored but have orange or something as the inside color.  
I haven't tried this but it may be something along those lines.

I just tried several materials with ambient at 100 with no sun and a black background and it was bright.  
What material are you using? 

A way around this would be to make 2 copies.  They must be copy/pasted so they are in the same place.  'Boolean difference' the bottom half of one and the top half the other with a cube.  Then you can move the remaining halves together.  Since most of an iceberg is below the waterline the lower half can be stretched.  It is also possible to edit the lower half to make the shape different, as long as the editing stays away from the edges.  

Play with this technique and you can find a way to make the overhang that most bergs have above the water.

You can use an alpha plane and a cube.  
Create the cube and make it the size/thickness you want.  Copy/paste another in the same place.  Then use 'replace by' and choose alpha plane.  
to make this work best you need to make the cube thin on the vertical axis as the alpha plane usually is created parallel to the ground.

Another way to just use a cube is to put a narrow border, the color of the sign edge you want, around the sign picture in photoshop.  You can make all 4 sides have a different look.  
To make this work you need to play with the 'projection' in the material editor. 

That's a good way to do it.  Here's another...

In the World Browser (the list of objects in your scene: bottom right corner of screen)
click the object to be cut then press 'shift' and click the cutter.  Then Ctrl+shift+D, or choose from menu.

To use this method it is best to have the objects next to each other in the W/Browser.  
If you have anything listed between them it/they will also be selected when you.
 shift- click.

Objects can be moved in the browser by L-click and drag to where you want it to be in the list.

Looks good.  But the android looks to be floating.  Is it supposed to? 

Teach them Bryce!!!!  :)  I seem to do ok being legally blind.  :)   

Definately stay away from baskets and more knitting.  The ideas for maming wood things are great.  About the pets...call your local animal shelter and ask if they can bring some over for 'Pet Night'.  We used to have those in my university dormitory.  They always made a good time. 

Do these people have access to computers?  There may be classes for seniors in your area that could come and teach about email and some simple things.  They can show them the accessibility features.  

Tell her to keep up the good work.