Saturday, August 09, 2008

Smoke and Water


Well I had to give it some kind of name! This is what I did this morning. I am trying to finish up a wedding book, but have to wait to hear back from the bride before I can go any farther. So I worked on this image.
I did several layers of slight painting and poster/comic book types before I came across the right combination. Then for the final effect, I added a texture.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Waterfight!

Now this is the way to cool off when it's 105 degrees for a week straight. Actually, it was only around 90 degrees when I shot these!

My nephew is a firefighter down in Florida, (these are not him..these are in Oklahoma), but he was telling me today that when they are busy doing things they are definitely heroes, but other times, when it's slow firefighters tend to get ignored. I hate to hear that. I know one thing, more state and federal funds should be channeled their way. Most volunteer fire departments rely on their own fundraising, whether it's from membership fees or chili suppers or pancake dinners ...

Their equipment is costly, and many times, they have to deal with only the bare bones.

Sometimes, I wonder if people really stop to think about their charity causes. I bet firefighters rank near the bottom in a lot of communities when it comes to donations going their way? Think though, they are the ones who are first at the scene of an accident, up in the middle of the night to battle fires and protect our homes. So this post was just an effort for me to say, hey thanks firefighters all over the country for your efforts! You are appreciated!

Monday, August 04, 2008

Circles and circus

I've been holding this image back for quite some time. Figured I'd share it tonight with this odd post! *Reposted image. Had the wrong one/size up. I watermarked it since I do plan on offering this in my etsy shop.


Bear with me as I try to write this entry. It may become twisty, turning and backwards at times. Might become even upside down and inside out. No, I am not drinking. It's too stinking hot to drink anything but ice water with lime, though I did have an old fashion cherry sprite, but now have hiccups.

For several weeks I've been trying to remember the name of a blog I visited late one night. I even bookmarked it, which was my first mistake. I have way too many of those. But I did discover it tonight by accident in my email. The blog was dispatchfromla (link is on my blog list). So at one point, I decide to read some of the many comments over there and a name jumped out at me from one of the posts - LK Ludwig!

To share some history, LK and I, along with many other talented artists and writers were in some artist journal groups online. This was years ago, back when Inspiration Decks were just getting started. Which are now known as ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) or ACEO's (at etsy). I have some of LK's work somewhere, either through journal page swaps or other swaps, like altered book covers. It's buried in a box I'm sure. So I darted over to LK's blog and posted. I doubt she'll remember me though. That's beside the point.
Then I went back to dispatchfromla comments to check out the poster and that was Diane Cook and somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind the name is vaguely familiar. But Diane kind of has a name like many of us...not something that sticks out in your mind like LK Ludwig for all eternity.
Don't take it personal Diane! Mine is semi-plain too!

But I click on Diane's name and it takes me to her blog, a lovely place to go - From what Diane posted at dispatch, she ended up there via LK's blog. So there I am at Diane's blog and am delighted to see her wonderful jewelry. Turns out she has an etsy shop...geez, see where this is going? Then I start looking at her blog list and recognize many names. Including The Scent of Water...on flickr! And, I just happen to be a member there! It just shows really how small the world can be when connected like this.
To finish my story though, which may or may not really have any ending at all...at dispatchfromla, she's reading and mentions the 1000 Journals project...ummm I participated in that all those years ago and did get my work published.
Does this really have any end to it? Probably not! Still, I felt compelled to share this. Mostly out of boredom. Now, I'm off to do more blog hopping. I'll be adding to my blog list, but not too much on this, as it would just grow and grow. The idea is to pick a place, go there, then go somewhere from there...who knows where the cyber brick road will take you....

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Autumn? 106 degrees today!


How can that be? Only because I found one of my photos listed in an etsy Treasury tonight! I shot the image about two years ago, it's one of a set of three. The finished image is a 5x5 image. It's been listed since January and set to expire August 19, so if someone wants to buy it, they should hurry! It's a nice little piece of photo art.
Analiese listed it, you should visit her shop too if you like jewelry!
Here's a link to her shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=35723

I have a photo link on this page at the right that will take you to my etsy store.

Surviving the heatwave






Not me! But these flowers. And since it's too hot to do any shooting, I'm in the artsy mode...enjoy! You can right click and save as wallpaper for your desktop!