All-American Past-Time

Last week, my friend Mike and I went to an Oakland A's game. We try to go at least once each season, and since the seats were only $2 (before all the silly service charges) and hot dogs were $1, we couldn't resist!

I love watching baseball live and in person. All the people to watch, the view of the stadium, the smells of garlic fries, hot dogs, nachos...

And the game got pretty exciting toward the end, with the A's winning in the bottom of the 9th! YAY!!!

Here's our self-portrait:

Have you even been to a baseball game? What was your favorite thing about it?

Talk to Me and Win a Prize

I'm finding that you all seem a tad shy about talking to me, so I've decided to offer an incentive.

Respond to any question in any of my September posts in this blog through September 30th and be entered to win a FREE set of my photo note cards (You can view all my note cards by clicking on the image to the right). The drawing will be held at the beginning of October, and the winner will be notified AND featured here in my blog!

Your opinion is important to me, so please talk to me! :-)

My First Collaboration

I'm so excited to share this with you! A couple weeks ago, while perusing Etsy's Alchemy section, I came across someone looking for photography to feature in her scrabble tile pendants. I responded, we made an arrangement, and voila! Studio66 makes wonderful pendants, and I'm honored to see my photography featured in her work.

Just click this image and check 'em out:

Have you ever collaborated? If so, what was the final product? And how was the experience for you?

Taste of Saratoga

I'm so excited! My first big art and wine festival is this Saturday, September 20, in Saratoga, CA! If you're in the area, please come by and visit me.

Here's the flyer I created (click it to see a larger version)...

Have you ever sold at a large event? This one's my first biggie, so if you've got any tips, tricks, suggestions, please leave them in my comments section to share.

I think I'm going to buy a director's chair, so I can see over my table stuff when I'm sitting down. Good idea?

Have a great day!

EEEK!!!

OK. I must admit, I'm a tad arachnophobic. (Did I spell that right?)

I do, however, appreciate the beauty of a critter in it's natural environment. So when I was coming home from a late Board of Education meeting last night and saw a huge spider on a spectacular web in the hallway outside my front door, I couldn't resist running in to grab my camera. The spider was way up over my head, so out of 20 attempts, I managed one fairly clear photo. Here's what I came up with, in regular color and stylized. The last one is stylized, but more close up. What do you think? Which one do you prefer? Should I zoom in more? Should I offer one or both in my shop as a print? Or a note card?

To view a larger version of any of these, just click the image.

The more opinions, the better!

New Earrings for a Good Cause

I think we all have connections to breast cancer in one way or another. Either you've had it yourself, or know and love someone who has. In my case, my grandmother had breast cancer and a mastectomy many years ago. More recently, my mom had it too. Hers was found so early, it was barely noticeable in the mammogram. (Thanks SO much to a very observant doctor!) She just had a lumpectomy and radiation and has been cancer-free for several years. Now, because both Mom and Grandma had a hereditary form of post-menopausal cancer, and I had to have a total hysterectomy several years ago, I'm VERY apt to also get this form of cancer. It's a pretty scary thought, but I get mammograms every year, so I know I'll survive it, if and when it hits me.

The challenge I featured in my last post inspired me to do a little something to help out. I've created these cute earrings and plan to donate $2.00 per pair purchase to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. I'm offering ten pairs, so if I sell them all, I'll be donating $20. I wish I could do more, but I'm so broke now. :(

If you would like to purchase these earrings, please click the image of them above.

Or if you would like to donate directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, just click here.

And don't forget to examine yourself regularly!

Have a great day! :)

Show Us Your Boobies!

OK. Not technically. :p

(I got that line from a really bad, but funny, horror flick called "Psyclops".)

A couple of Etsy folks I know (Sarahinflorida and MissKnits) are holding a creative challenge on Etsy in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is in October.

Here's what they had to say:
Here's the deal..... You must create something new (not already made or listed) that is Booby themed. It can be anything you want! (pasties, bras, maybe a nipple hat?) But it must be made and listed by 5pm etsy time on September 20th. You may create more than one item for this challenge - but only one can be submitted for votes. You also must agree, that if you sell your item (or items) that the proceeds are donated to the Susan G Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. This Challenge is not about winning this time, its about giving back! My mother is a breast cancer survivor, and i think most of us know a love one who has gone through this! From September 20th, til noon Sunday September 28th, we will keep a thread going with all our entries, so people can come in and vote on them and hopefully support the cause and buy! Everyone will be allowed 1 vote! However,for everyone of your items that sell you will get another 5 votes. (hope that makes sense) Because again, you can make more than one item for this challenge! We do have a prize for the winner! to be announced! This is an open contest! Anyone and everyone is welcome to enter! There will be no cutoff, because this is for charity! So lets make it huge and get a lot of donations! So Who's in?

This is a wonderful cause, so please check out the Etsy forum thread and participate if you can.

Have a great day!

P.S. This just in... MissKnits says your challenge item can also be pink or pink ribbon-themed. :)

I Love.....

Purple!!!

Can you tell? It's in my banner (above), my product labels and biz cards, the backgrounds of some of my product photos, and a number of the items I've created (below).

(Johnny Jump Up photo) (Grapefruit and Peppermint Bath Salts)

Treasure candles...
(Each candles has charms, crystals, and stones hidden inside)

I'd thought my favorite colors were burgundy and forest green, but when I'm creating things, I seem to be leaning toward dark purple. Verrrrry interesting!