Custom Art for You

Did you know that I would love to create an original work of art just for you?  Yes, YOU!  I offer lots of different options and would love to work with you to create something truly unique and one of a kind.  Just click here to contact me and we'll discuss your commission.  The final price will be given to you and 50% will be due before I begin the project, with the remainder due before shipping (Photos provided if requested). General prices are as follows:

~ Poly clay pendant/pin/magnet (under 3" diameter) $21 + $4 S&H








~ 2.5"x3.5" ACEO or bookmark (up to 2"x7") pencil, pen & ink, or mixed media drawing or painting $5 + $3 S&H






~ 4"x6", 5"x7" or 6"x6" pencil, pen & ink, or mixed media drawing or painting $10 - $30 + $4 S&H






~ 8"x10", 8"x8", or 9"x12" pencil, pen & ink, or mixed media drawing or painting $15 - $50 + $5 S&H








~ Digitally enhanced photos $10 - $20 (no shipping, emailed)








~ Etsy banners/blog headers $15 (no shipping, emailed)

Easy Canvas Prints

Last fall I was approached by a representative from EasyCanvasPrints.com with an opportunity to get a free 11”x14” canvas in exchange for a write-up on my blog.  With the hub-bub of our annual fall vacation and then the holidays, it wasn't until recently that I was able to take the time to order the canvas print for review.  I chose this photo taken a few years ago that the whole family was able to get into...


When I received my canvas print, I have to admit to a bit of disappointment.


The quality of the canvas was very nice (I opted for a wrap-around image, so this looks cropped a bit more than it really was), but I thought perhaps my original photo wasn't high enough quality or there was a discrepancy between my monitor colors and theirs, because the print seemed much darker than the original image on my screen, the colors weren't right, and it seemed that a lot of detail was lost (from the sky) or pixelated (in the faces).  So when I got an email asking how I liked the print, I was honest about my personal disappointment, but let them know that the family loved it and that was all that mattered.

Megan, the rep for Easy Canvas Prints, was very helpful in explaining about their art review team that will stop print and contact you if your image is too grainy to print, but they will let any orders they feel are good enough to print go ahead and be printed.  She also included a link to the following image which shows how they brightened my original image so the details could be seen better...


She even offered another free canvas in 8x10 size to replace this one, which I was going to take her up on, but have since reconsidered.  In writing this post, I saw for the first time their preview side by side with my original.  Mine really was darker, and I know from my own photo editing that brightening an image can add some unwanted artifacts and mean the loss of light colored details.  Just take a look at this image, where I've overlaid theirs on top of my original and sliced off part so you can see how it's been improved.


Of course you can also see that it's been cropped a bit more than I thought as well as the brightening, but I may have sized my original with an incorrect ratio, and they haven't removed anything important.  I really think the problem was in choosing such a finely detailed photo for a coarsely textured canvas print.

Overall, I found the EasyCanvasPrints.com site easy to navigate and order from.  They had a quick turn-around time, with quality canvas prints and excellent customer service.  As an artist who edits everything specifically for printing a certain way, I found it a bit frustrating to have my photo not print as I envisioned it.  However, for someone who wants a nice photo turned into a lovely, personal piece of art, Easy Canvas Prints is a wonderful company to work with.  If you're interested, you can get 50% off PLUS free shipping on your next order, just by clicking "Like" on their Facebook page!

Photo Friday: Crimson

Red Maple

Click to view on black!

APPGEAR & SOCIALSPARK

I apologize to anyone who may have been affected by SocialSpark's blatant misuse of my permission to post. They were granted a limited permission to post ONE blog post, that I wrote, instead they spammed my account by posting it FORTY-SEVEN times between 11pm last night & 3am this morning. You can be assured that this kind of thing will not happen again on this blog as my account with them will be terminated as soon as I can get a response.

Psst!

Guess what...

I'm giving you a discount...

SHHHH!  Don't tell anyone...

Just because I think we could all use a little encouragement to get Mom something nice - and I think we've got a nice selection at Faerie Garden Fancies - you can get 20% OFF, just by entering the coupon code ILOVEMOM2012 when you check out.

Oh yes you heard me right!

Head over to Faerie Garden Fancies, pick out something nice for Mom - or if you *are* the mom, get something nice for yourself - and use the coupon code ILOVEMOM2012 when you check out, and get TWENTY PERCENT OFF.

I'll ship your order within a week, and can even gift wrap it and ship it right to your mom if she's not in your area!  Just add a note to that effect...

Now don't wait til the last minute on this, that code (ILOVEMOM2012) is only good until MAY 1st, so act now!  (Wow, cheesy commercial ending there, eh? XD)


Some of the great gifts waiting for you at Faerie Garden Fancies...

1. Lilacs, Ivy, and Pearls Brooch; 2. Set of 3 Blank Nature Note Cards - Goldfinch, Wild Rose, Feather;
3. Cute Sunshine & Rainbow on a Rock; and 4. Marshmallow Bunny Rabbit Bookmark.

5 Facts For Friday

Once again, some questions from the lovely Natalie from the Vanillery Garden. 

1. What does your last text message say?

2. Describe yourself in 3 words.  Shining rainbow creatrix!

3. When you were in school, did you sit in front or the back?  If I get there early enough, I like to be able to see the whole room and not feel like people are behind me, so in the back, but sometimes I just want to be as inconspicuous as possible, so I'll sit wherever is closest to the door.

4. What is your own personal bedtime routine? Uuuummmmm....I don't have much of one.  Turn off the overhead light, turn on the fan, get undressed, get in bed, kiss Jacqueline, have a small candy, read for a bit, shut out my reading light, roll over, and hopefully sleep!

5. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 3.  'The darling lady likes to keep in touch with the Reverend's old connections.' ~ from Miss Hargreaves, by Frank Baker

Photo Friday: Soft Light

spring color at sunset

Click to view on black!

Wishcasting Wednesday

What do you wish to rise above?

You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.
In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats,
so you can know who you are,
what you can rise from,
how you can still come out of it.
~ Maya Angelou

I have been thinking about how to rise above a lot lately.  I've been feeling as if I've taken a GIANT step backwards in my life and it leaves me feeling hopeless and desperate for change.  I wish to rise above that feeling.  I want to rise above the doubts and insecurities I have about my ability to support my family solely as an artist, to rise above my fears of never being comfortably secure financially, and to rise up to the feeling of joy and hopeful expectation of the future.

“In spite of everything I shall rise again:
I will take up my pencil,
which I have forsaken in my great discouragement,
and I will go on with my drawing”
~ Vincent van Gogh

You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box [at the link] below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.
~ Jamie Ridler

5 Facts for Friday

Natalie from the Vanillery Garden - who writes the loveliest blog - recently asked us to start sharing a bit more of ourselves, and has started doing 5 Facts For Friday: Tell Me Who You Are.  I thought I'd answer her questions here, and ask my followers to join in the fun too!

1) What is your favorite movie and why?
I don't really have a *favorite* movie.  I have a bunch that I like to watch over & over again: Better Off Dead, Waterworld, Labyrinth, Princess Bride, Gone with the Wind, Interview with a Vampire, and Chocolat, to name more than a few... LOL!

2) How much time do you spend on your own?
Not very much at all.  In a very small trailer with a family of six, it's hard to find even a moment alone.  Usually the only time I am truly alone is driving to & from work.

3) Do you often ask yourself what others think of you?
No, I never ask; I am constantly thinking about it and assuming what they must be thinking.  I hate this about me because it causes a LOT of unhappiness on my part.

4) What kind of temptation is impossible for you to resist?
Hm.  I was actually rereading my old LJ posts and found a similar question, "Who or what could you never say no to?"  I was really surprised that I had actually resisted what I had answered all those years ago.  I think the only thing I am tempted by now are carbs.  LOL!  Cookies, ice cream, crackers, chips, bread... You know, the stuff I'm not supposed to be eating so much of!  XD

5) Do you believe that 2012 will be the end of the world?
No.  Not anymore than 2000 was.  The world will keep turning, time will keep ticking...

Feel free to answer the same questions here or on your own blog or head over to Natalie's blog and answer them there!  ^-^

Day 31 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

31. Draw a Congratulations Banner for Finishing!

Click to biggify!
Since I drew this on March 2nd, Dr. Seuss's birthday, I chose to honor him by drawing something in his style... I was going to color with my markers, but... no can do.  Yellow & red are ALL dried up (as are several others... -_-); so it had to wait til I had time today for coloring it digitally.

I am really proud of myself for finishing this.  Even though I didn't POST everyday, I *did* draw every day, even when it was REALLY hard to do.  I've been taking part in an online residency with a few other artists and I hope now to go back and touch up the coloring on the few I think worth it, and then work with some of the paper clay I got not long ago...  Keep your eyes peeled for new stuff in Faerie Garden Fancies!  ^-^

Day 30 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

30. Draw A Place You Want to Go

Click to biggify!

Going to add color when I have some more time... I should have been in bed hours ago... -_-

Day 29 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

29. Draw Anything You'd Like

Click to biggify!
Definitely not finished, but I am terrified I'm going to mess her up when I start lining her...  I mean I already somehow got water on the page and buckled it.  I've no idea where the water even came from... -_-  Will edit when I finish!

Day 28 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

28. Draw Someone You Love

Click to biggify!
ANT-MONSTER!  I was going to draw Jacqueline, but I did already draw her once or twice or so for this, and then Antonio woke up.  He has this habit of growling when he first wakes up before he gets his coffee - yes in a big ol' cup... ^-^ And yes, I love him very much.

I was trying for a caricature-cartoony-type of drawing and got more realism than I wanted.  It's still wonky and I need so much more practice with the markers!

Days 22 to 27 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

22. Draw Something You Want

Click to biggify!
Long colorful hair, feeling pretty & healthy, but mostly JOY...

23. Draw Something You Miss
After drawing this, I decided not to post it.  Like a smoker misses smoking, sometimes you miss things that just aren't good for you.

24. Draw Something You Need

Click to biggify!
Showers of money right into my bank account please...  XD

25. Draw a Couple

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Two Peas in a Pod!  ^o^

26. Draw Scenery

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I've been wanting to draw a tree on a hill for a long time now.  This one I left uncolored so I could color it digitally.  I'll post the finished product when it's done!

27. Draw Something You Don't Like

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Canned Asparagus.  Love it fresh, just don't like it canned. 

And may I comment just one more time about how I hate my scanner for messing up the colors so much...!!!

Day 21 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

21. Draw Something Orange

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Lia!  Her hair is orange and her tumblr name is orangeonthecob!  ^-^

And I truly hate what the scanner does to my chalks... >.<

Day 20 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

20. Draw Something New

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The last thing I bought that wasn't food...  Smells *SO* good.... ^-^

Day 19 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

19. Draw Just a Doodle

Click to biggify!
My signature jumping for joy bunny!

Day 18 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

18. Draw Your Favorite Plant

Click to biggify!
I like a LOT of plants (roses, lilacs, basil, tomato, carrots, ivy, clover, grass, oaks...) but Grape Hyacinths always makes me smile...

I am amazed at how this turned out.  I used some markers that I hadn't really used much before and practically *painted* with them to get this look... So happy!

Days 13-17 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

13. Draw Your Most Recent Accomplishment

Click to biggify!
I know this seems a strange "accomplishment" but I feel a strange sense of pride about it.  You see I've never thought of myself as a salesman - Can't do sales!  Can't convince someone that they need something when I don't really think they do... - but I did it.  I sold this brush to a customer who had already put it back and earned myself some Reward points. 

14. Draw a Comic

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Since this challenge fell on Valentine's Day, I wanted to make a cheesy Valentine-themed comic.  I love this!  ^-^

15. Draw Your Favorite Fairy Tale

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Technically I don't have a favorite, but this is Jacqueline's favorite, so I chose to draw it for her...  it's not at all like I had envisioned it, but I still like it.

16. Draw a Family Picture

Click to biggify!
I've done a few of these already, and this isn't my original idea, but I wound up with less time than I thought; so you get a Brady Bunch-style drawing.  LOL!  Some of these don't look anything like us... XD

17. Draw Your Inspiration

Click to biggify!
My grandmother.

Day 12 of my 31 Day Drawing Challenge

12. Draw a Turning Point in Your Life

Click to see on beautifying black!
When I first kissed Jacqueline... ♥

Erg... the scanner is messing up my colors again, and I need some new markers...