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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

One Little Word


It appears since I got laid off from work, I am not capable of an original thought! Well, that's not entirely true, but I'm following LeAnne's idea and I'm posting here my One Little Word: Abundance, my front cover design for the project, and an invitation to check out Big Picture classes.

I'm participating in Ali Edwards' "One Little Word 2012" class. It looks like great inspiration for the New Year and so much potential for personal transformation! Come join me and let's see how the new year unfolds!

Click HERE to create your free account. They offer lots of other classes as well (by all means explore to find something that interests you), but the price for the One Little Word is only $36 for a full year to pursue your One Little Word of inspiration. If you use this "refer a friend" code (E1BF106E) when you register for your first class, we'll both get a discount on our second class.

Brushes, texture, and overlay thanks to Kim Klassen, Pixel Dust and Shadowhouse Creations.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Wooden Roses Make More Magic

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I know with all the holiday lights, decorations, and baking going on in many homes, this doesn't seem very festive, but I'm still having fun with the roses from Creations Art and Gifts. And Kim Klassen offered two new textures today for her 12 Days of Textures celebration.

I'm thinking tomorrow I might go out and find some Christmas spirit. It's also time to bake my favorite sugar cookies. So there may be some surprises in store for my blog tomorrow.

Textures thanks to Kim Klassen: moremagic

Posted to Misty's Shoot.Edit.Submit and Kim Klassen's 12 Days of Textures.

12 days of Christmas evaporating!

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I was wanting to participate in Kim Klassen's 12 Days of Christmas - each day she is providing a new texture and of course the idea is to use the texture and post the image. I've been so crazy busy that I haven't had time to even get started and today is already day 5! Does it count that I used two of her textures in this image? These roses are made of wood and I got them from Vickey at Creations Art and Gifts. My work is officially in the shop! First day in, two of my gift cards sold. Yippee! It might just be an omen of good things to come. I mean, they have LOTS of gift cards there. And someone found mine! It doesn't take much to please me.

By the way, do you think a print signed upside down is worth more than one signed properly, in the bottom right corner? Silly me, I signed in the bottom right corner, but I had the image upside down. ;-> It's all about creating a process and not letting the excitement and nerves get in the way.

This last week simply evaporated. And although, there's a part of me that feels I should keep working at this new business venture, I will be taking a break. I'm sure Kobi will be happy to take me for a walk and encourage me to take more pictures! Hopefully, I'll even get The Stroll out on Sunday.

Textures thanks to Kim Klassen: annabelle, zuzu

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Last minute holiday cards! Limited inventory - Order now!

Jumping right in with a new business venture! Do you need some last minute holiday cards? I can ship tomorrow if I get your order today by 8pm MST!!

I have seven designs, four of which seem to be popular already for the holidays. Inventory is limited as I had no idea exactly what I was jumping into. First come first serve. Please use the number in the upper right corner of thumbnails.

Order information:

I’ve attached the 7 designs I currently have (the last image is the back).
Dimensions are 4.875 square with a 5 x 5 white envelope, printed on a high quality digital silk cover stock.
Singles will be packaged in a clear bag with flap.
Multiples will be package in a ziploc bag since I havn’t gotten to the packaging for multiples.

Single: $4.50 ea.
Pack of 12 (Sampler: 3 ea of any 4 designs): $2.50 ea. ($30.00)
Pack of 24 (Sampler: 3 ea of any 4 designs): $1.95 ea. ($46.80)

Shipping: Priority Mail $4.95

Thanks so much. I look forward to hearing from you!
Order directly: Email me at
I haven't gotten an online store set up yet, but am working on it. ;->

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

It's been a whirlwind!


I'm exhausted, but excited. It's been a whirlwind 5 days. When I learned that the owner of Creations Art and Gifts would make room for my work, I had to go figure out how to get those images out of my computer and produce quality prints and greeting cards—quickly. There's more to it than meets the eye. I've framed three of four prints. Hobby Lobby only packaged three of the four pieces of glass, so I will finish framing the fourth tomorrow. Also, I designed and order business cards.

In addition, I will be packaging 8 unframed prints tomorrow and 25 greeting cards will be ready on Thursday. Still 10 days of Christmas shopping left once I get these placed!!

The learning curve is steep and I've still got lots and lots to learn, but the good news is once I have some of these things in place it will be easier.

I think I'm ready for a vacation! But the next step is to research some online venues to generate sales. As a fellow photographer suggested, there are folks who wait until this last week or so before Christmas to make their purchases, so opportunities are still yet to be had for the short term.

Thanks to all my friends out there who have sent well-wishes. I really appreciate that you're in my circle.

Hope you're finding joy in your days.

laf

Friday, December 9, 2011

Abundance comes in many shapes and sizes

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Today was the first day of the rest of my life. I didn't have work to go to and at the beginning of the day the only thing I had scheduled was lunch with one of my treasured former colleagues. On the way to meet Jill I observed that the Rocky Mountains were obscured behind a white haze. It occurred to me that remarkable things are there even if we can't see them. I translated that to my dreams are out there even if I'm not sure what they are. There are good things in store for me even if I can't see them yet. Signs that I am hopeful. Lunch with a good friend was a wonderful time.

I stopped to see another friend who after many years making clocks from obsolete computer parts is seeing a breakthrough and her business, Makin' Time Computer Art Clocks, is beginning to take off. She is always busy preparing clocks for stock, participating in art shows, and being active in the community. She sent me off with a contact in Louisville who owns a creative art store, Creations Art & Gifts.

In a heartbeat, I stopped to meet Vickey, owner of Creations. I wasn't even prepared. No business cards. No samples of my photographs. No nothing. I just wanted to see what the shop was about and if my photos would even fit in there. I walked away with more hope after Vickey immediately shared with me the best way to display photographs from advice on framing; a discussion about the disadvantages of framing with glass; and to send her the link to my Flickr portfolio to see where to go from here. Vickey also suggested some framing vendors I could contact. She sent me off with a thank you gift, the yellow wooden rose.

Then I stopped at pARTiculars, a little art shop in Lafayette--right in myback yard! Suzanne talked to me about how the shop works. They are a coop. There are 25 owners and ~20 artists represented there. After I made a small purchase, she printed out their Consigning Artists Application. I found myself jumping into new possibilities and was hopeful that I might even be able to get some things ready for last minute holiday shoppers. I mentioned that I'd been laid off and wondered if I could get some items in before their open house next week. Unfortunately (for me), everything they consign goes through a jury process first. They won't be doing a jury before Christmas. Nevertheless, what a grand possibility. Something to think about and prepare for. Suzanne suggested I talk to Jackie Friesth about greeting card packaging. After sharing that my body did not seem to be in agreement with the thoughts I was trying to hold about "all good things," Suzanne picked up a tiny box and handed it to me saying, "This is my gift to you, the lemon and lavendar will help you relax." Inside were the tiny little beeswax lotion hearts she sells under the label Thirsty Hands. What a gift! Abundance is presenting itself already and I am welcoming it.

It was a marvelous day and I don't think it's over as I discovered Jackie has a creative framing art show this evening. I still have an hour. If I hurry, I can get to meet her!

Yes, abundance comes in many shapes and sizes. I loved photographing the rose and heart beeswax lotions to symbolize this day. I am grateful.

Thanks also to Pixel Dust: abstract, acceptance, intensify Hmmm ... I smile when I think of my choice of those textures.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

It's a holly jolly Christmas!

I guess I'll have a lot more time to play in my Photoshop sandbox — I got laid off today. I'm doing fine and have confidence there is good in all this. There's got to be a pony in here somewhere. And I'm going to spend a few days looking for it! ;->

This photo was taken through the window of a restaurant on Pearl Street Mall on that famous frosty night I wrote about previously. I'm looking forward to processing and posting more images from that evening yet. Keep your eyes open. ;->

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Linked to Pixel Dust Photo Art Friday.

Textures thanks to Pixel Dust: vintage wine label 3, impressionist music, holy grunge