Maleah Matthews Photography

2011-10-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

As life has calmed down over this year my "photo life" has finally re-emerged after a short hiatus during my divorce last year. And wow, it feels so good to be back! :) I'm slowly working on all the photos I've had filed a way now and thought I would share a few with you, let me know what you think!

Our First Roadtrip

2011-02-21T21:05:00.000-08:00

Our First Roadtrip

Some New Work!

2010-07-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

Summer is going by waaayyy to fast! And with it has gone my photography time, which makes me sad. But I have had a few moments here and there, so here they are!

1. Sail Away

2. Picnic At The Lake

3. Field of Dreams

4. Pink Lemonade Flowers

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

I know this post is late, I had good intentions of getting this up last night but it just didn't happen! I had wayyyy to many easter eggs to fill! But I hope you all had a wonderful day! Mine was chaotic, kids are officially on a sugar high, so much so that my son decided to jump on a bed and then fell and hit his head, he has a huge goose egg on the back of his head, so I'm going to be up checking on him lots tonight. And I failed miserably as an Easter Bunny, my 8 year old came to me and said, "This is strange, the Easter Bunny bought my book at Borders!" Oops!!! She looked at me like she was on to me but never said anything. Ugh, I think I've just ruined her innocence!

I will be posting the giveaway on Tuesday evening instead of tonight. I am so tired I can't think straight enough to put it together!

Vacation Photos

2010-04-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

Solace By The Sea

I'm finally getting time to add some of our vacation photos here! We visited Seaside, Oregon last week and we were fortunate to have wonderful weather for most of out trip. I had never been to that area so we did some sightseeing to some of the local areas including Cannon Beach, Fort Columbia and Astoria.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse

This is the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, it is the most impressive lighthouse I've seen. I found myself daydreaming about how they got out there to build it, the winds were so strong this day from the viewpoint that I struggled to keep my camera still enough to get a good shot. So I can't imagine trying to build on a rock in the middle of the ocean!

Soaring

And there is something about seagulls soaring that I love!

Flower Stand

This was one of the neatest finds on our trip to Astoria. We found these darling little roadside flower stands all along the way full of fresh daffodils! I would have bought tons if we had been going home as they were only a $1 a piece!

I've got tons more photos to go through yet and I will share more I finish them. I think I took about 500 photos!

And The Giveaway Winner Is......

2010-03-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

Jeanette from Spendid Things blog! She was post #3 drawn by random.org. She wins this darling Easter block set from Gongy and Squish!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this giveaway and be on the watch for the April giveaway to be announced later this week!

Sorry for the awful photo, phone cameras just aren't the same! :)

Last Week To Enter!

2010-03-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

This week has finally brought about Spring break and I have a very happy family! We are headed off on a mini vacation and we plan to enjoy every minute of it! So I probably won't post until the weekend again.

And most importantly, this is the last week to enter the Easter Block Giveaway hosted by Gongy and Squish, so if you haven't already entered, do it now! We will draw the winner this Sunday, March 28th!

I leave you with this new photo of one of the magnolia trees in bloom right now, have a great week!

Hello Saturday!

2010-03-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Yay, Saturday has arrived and it's a beautiful sunny morning to boot, doesn't get any better than that! Well maybe +30 would help, but I won't complain!

I have a fun little treat I purchased for myself to share with you today! For sometime now I've wanted to purchase some handmade soap and with our recent switch to organic/green living it makes sense also.

Green Clover & Aloe Soap

I had long ago "favorited" Dennis Anderson's Etsy soap shop, so that is where I set out to, he is from Portland, Oregon and he really knows his soap with over 25,000+ sales! These photos are a few of the items I puchased from him. I was so excited when my package arrived this week, full of soapy goodness!

Evolking Amber Soap

After just one use, I was sold, my skin felt so soft! And I'm so pleased with the scents, fragrant but soft and not over-powering. My kids love the whipped soap, and I love that it has a lid so I clean it up and put it away so they don't over use it.

Divine - Soap In A Jar

Dennis still has his big Milestone Event Sale going, if you want to treat your skin, you won't be sorry! I'm so glad I finally ordered some, I'll never go back to store bought soaps.

luc del sol soap

So, I leave you with those squeeky clean thoughts for the weekend! I hope you have a wonderful one doing whatever you love, with those you love to be with!

Champagne & Lace

2010-03-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

Maleah Matthews

This is a new photo that I just completed this morning. These gorgeous trees are loaded with blossoms right now!

*** If you haven't already entered the March giveaway for the beautiful Easter blocks you can do so here, there is only 10 days left to enter! ***

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

Top O The Mornin' To You! Did you remember to wear your green today? We had a scramble the morning in the search for green clothes to wear, and the kids strongly objected to the idea of eating a green breakfast!

igotcooties

I was talking to a friend the other day who told me St. Patrick's day is her favorite holiday, they have a huge family get together with all the yummy Irish food and beer. She went on to explain how nice it was just to be in good company and have a good reason to bring out all her St. Patrick's decorations.

tweedledeeaz

It made me realize that I have been very negligent in embracing this holiday and might be missing out on something! So, I decided I need to go green window shopping, you have to start somewhere, right?!

doodlebirdie

What are your favortie St. Patrick's Day traditions or decor items?

hotpinkchick

bekahjennings

Need Some Mom Time? Check This Out!

2010-03-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

I was contacted several months ago by the editor of Mummo magazine, a wonderful UK based online magazine for moms, to do a feature for the Mother's Day issue. I was immediately drawn to the cause for this magazine for a couple reasons: first, I love that the English say mum instead of mom, it's just so much more fun to say! And secondly, and most importantly, is the magazine supports the Million Mums organization which is bringing attention to the needless deaths of women during pregnancy and childbirth worldwide.

Mummo Magazine

I was pleasantly surprised the first time I looked through the magazine at how well put together it is, and what great articles it contains for everything we moms deal with on a daily basis, from beauty and fashion to raising kids. It's very well done! Anyway, I hope you'll grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit down for a nice read! You can find my interview is on page 55.

http://www.mummomag.co.uk/

Weekend R&R

2010-03-13T21:43:00.000-08:00

Hopefully you are all enjoying a wonderful weekend doing what you love! I so bummed we have to turn the clocks forward tonight, this time change is always a struggle for me adjust to. But on the other hand I love knowing we will gain another hour of daylight in the evenings!

We packed a picnic lunch and went to Silver Falls today, near Silverton, Oregon for a scenic hike. There was even a skiff of snow on the ground when we drove in! At about 1500ft elevation, this particular falls has a drop of just under 180 ft and you can walk behind the falls, it's just an incredible experience! You get soaked from the mist but it's worth it! There are 10 miles of beautiful trails and falls, although none are as large as the North Falls. I packed almost 20 lbs of camera gear up and down these canyon trails, I will be lucky if I can move in the morning!

Rain Drops Keep Fallin'....

2010-03-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

We need an ark fast, Oregon is one big wet and dreary place today! I found these pretty little things on Etsy today, they cheer me up and I hope you like them too!

1. Beady Monkey

2. Sybil Kot Design

3. leptit papillon

4. Hush Mouse

5. Alie Keagan

6. Caram Batack

7. Sheryl Spratt Designs

8. Piggy

What's In A Vase?

2010-03-10T18:41:00.000-08:00

Now that we have a few flowers starting to peak through, I've begun searching for some new vases. I love old vintage creamers, jugs and teapots for displaying flowers, there is something so nostalgic about them! So tomorrow I'm going to start scouring some of the thrift and antique stores for some new finds. I can hardly wait, it's like Christmas! I will post pictures of my finds if I'm lucky! What's your favorite vase?

Here's a couple I'm currently coveting:

Post Road Vintage

Picky Picky Shop

WIN These Whimsical Easter Blocks!

2010-03-04T21:57:00.000-08:00

I am proud to announce Gongy And Squish as the March giveaway sponser! Enter to win a set of these vintage inspired Easter blocks. Beautiful Easter images and words adorn these two inch wood blocks. You can change the way they are displayed, spell out "JOY," or rotate to display vintage images or the other whimsically decorated sides!

HOW TO ENTER

Receive 1 Entry

Leave a comment about your favorite item from Gongy And Squish
Join the Gongy And Squish Fanpage
Follow This Blog! - post that you follow and get an extra entry

RECEIVE 3 ENTRIES:

Post this giveaway on Facebook, MySpace or blog
Twitter with a link to this giveaway - leave your twitter ID

RECEIVE 5 ENTRIES:

Make a purchase from Gongy And Squish, between now and 3/26/10. Just let us know what you purchased here!

Contest Rules

Open to US residents only, sorry. Contest winner will be drawn 3/27/10 by random.org. Winner will be announced here and will have 48 hours to confirm win by email. If not confirmed, a new number will be drawn by random .org. By entering this contest you agree to not hold me nor the sponsor responsible if I don't get your confirmation email or if the prize does not arrive.

Tree Blooms

2010-03-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

YAY, my favorite time of year is on it's way! All of the flowering trees have started blooming in the past two weeks, the trees in our neighborhood are getting their leaves and everything is turning green. Here's a couple photos I took this past weekend of the trees:

Lofty Heights

Someday Spring

March Has Arrived

2010-03-01T23:47:00.000-08:00

And with it, St. Patrick's Day! Here's a new favorite find for you to enjoy:

I found this fabulous shop, GongyAndSquish, on the Etsy front page a couple weeks ago and I fell in love with these blocks! I love the vintage look! Below are the adorable Easter blocks!

GongyAndSquish

Our Switch to Organic Eating

2010-02-27T21:23:00.000-08:00

This is more of a personal post than usual, I thought I'd share about some changes we've been making in our family. I was recently inspired after seeing an interview on one of the national early morning TV shows about eating natural and organic foods. I was intrigued by the interview with Stephine Perrine, so I went to Borders and bought his book, New American Diet.

It isn't necessarily, a "dieting" book per say, but a book about good nutrition and the quality of the foods we consume and a comparison to the foods in our diet in the last century. I LOVED this book because it so clearly explains the reasons to eat organic foods and free range meats/dairy etc. He goes on to correlate more recent studies about how the foods and antibiotics that are in our foods have created a new phenomenon called obesogens. He gives a "Dirty Dozen" list which are foods to avoid completely unless organic, and a "Clean Fifteen," which are conventionally grown foods that are fine to consume. I have to say it would be impossible to read and not decide to change at least a few things about your diet!

So I have cleaned out our pantry and fridge/freezer and restocked with organic and free range foods. I was pleasantly surprised that is was not as expensive as I thought it would be. I think the initial getting started on it was the most costly. And I'm finding that I feel better and more full as a result. Some of the things we are doing are:

Farm fresh, free range eggs,
Organic, whole grain breads/pastas
Free Range Meats
Free Range Dairy products - this has been the most costly and hard to find
Using only Dark Chocolate 65% or higher cocoa

Some of the harder items to get rid of were things we used more than I realized. Those were:

Chips - I used them in the kids lunches
Yogurt - the kids aren't liking the organic yogurt yet. Previously we went through about 24 per week!
Cheese
Soups - these were so convenient!

I think in time I will develop replacements and learn to prepare more and freeze or refrigerate because I'm noticing I'm spending more time, so streamline cooking will be helpful. I'm also making cookies for my kids that they love with whole wheat, ground flax, oats golden raisins and applesauce. This is our new substitute for chips in their school lunches. I have to say it feels good to send that instead of bag of crunchy chemicals, LOL! So share your thoughts, ideas or recipes with me, I'd love to hear them!

Photo Pendants Are Here!

2010-02-20T18:36:00.000-08:00

I finally have success with combining my two favorite hobbies, making jewelry and photography! For the last year I have been trying various styles and experimenting with different products to create these, it has been a struggle to say the least to find the right combination! My kids proudly wear all the disasters I've created but they are officially cut off, LOL! I've only photographed this pendant so far, but I'd love your feedback and suggestions!

http://urbandesign.etsy.com/

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-13T23:15:00.001-08:00

A few of my Etsy favorites! From left to right:

1. shopjude

2. decoratethediva

3. allieart4children

4. NewExtrave

5. honeyPieDesigns

6. Glenamara

HUGE Etsy Sale!

2010-02-08T22:46:00.001-08:00

In celebration of my 2 year Etsy Anniversary I am having a Buy One Get One Free Sale on all my prints Feb. 9-12th, my biggest sale ever!

Just put the print(s) you'd like to purchase in your cart, then send my a message or include it with your purchase with the titles of the free prints. Thank you to the wonderful customers and new friends for making this a wonderful and successful journy!

Here's a link to my Etsy shop!

Pano Portland!

2009-10-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

I've been playing around with creating panoramas this evening, this is the first one I've ever done. Let me know what you think!

Etsy - Find Of The Day 9/28

2009-09-28T22:07:00.000-07:00

I'm totally in love with the industrial style of her shop, awesome stuff and great prices! This is the Lock Washer & Textured Washer Earrings by Addition Style. Check it out!

Etsy - Find Of The Day 9/27

2009-09-26T23:16:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows I have kids, so I was really taken by the legend of this multi-country tradition from Etsy seller Worm Galaxy:

Legend has it that you tell a worry to each of the worms before going to bed and then put them under your pillow or by your bed. Overnight the worms will eat your worries away whilst you sleep.
Worry Worms by Worm Galaxy

New 4x4 & 4x6 Collections

2009-09-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

New 4x4 & 4x6 Collections are finally here! YAY! I was asked sometime ago about doing these and I have really drug my feet on getting them done. But I think they are super cute and hope they will find a niche in my shops!

Currently I have four sets ranging from $14-$36 and containing 3-9 photos each, you can find all the sets here. I want to hang a clothes line and clip them to it in my office, I think they would be super cute like that! I need something bright and cheery on my walls during the upcoming dreary winter months! Let me know what you think.

Etsy - Find Of The Day 9/26

2009-09-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

Loving this mixed metals "Initially Yours" necklace by Studio Dax!

Very talented artist!

Etsy - Find Of The Day

2009-09-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

I visit lots of blogs that feature Flickr photos daily and it got me to thinking about why not feature a fabulous Etsy find everyday? Lord knows I can lost in "Etsyland" for long periods of time! I'm excited to start this new feature and I hope you will enjoy it too and maybe even find a new favorite or two along the way! :)
ETSY SELLER: Manic muffin totes

From my favorites, I love her shop!

Hello Fall

2009-09-19T15:30:00.001-07:00

Fall has arrived! I love this time of year, the colors are so pretty. Although I could do without all the rain. Here's some new photos I just took this week.

Blackberries! YUM!

2009-09-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we picked tons of wild blackberries at my parents house. There was an unbelievable crop and they were just perfect for picking! We picked for a couple hours and left with gallons and gallons of berries!

So today I am making blackberry jam, and my family is begging for a blackberry pie too. We will see how far I make it! Yummy!

The photo above is unrelated to berries, but I was ready for something bright and colorful on my blog, lol! Just took this on Thursday.

End Of Summer

2009-08-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well summer is flying by faster then I can keep up suddenly! With school starting in a few weeks, we've been going through toy, closets, dressers and then filling them right back up with the new school items. It always feels good to get organized again though!

Here's a new photo that I took a couple weeks ago, but have sold several of recently. It's one of my favorite country summer scenes to find this time of year:

Announcing Photo Blocks!!!

2009-08-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to try my hand at photo blocks for the last six months and this weekend I finally did it, and I LOVE them! I used repurposed and upcycled wood blocks, Western Red Cedar on this batch, they are all hand cut and painted black around the edges and the back. They are finished with a sealer and show a beautiful soft textured finish.

I even did one of my kids and it is one of my all time favorites ways to display a photo of them on my desk! Someone from my Facebook fanpage said it best, it gives them a modern and vintage feel all at the same time. Here's a link to the photo block section of my Etsy shop.

Friday Feature

2009-07-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

I was just perusing my Etsy favorites and it hit me that I should do a feature on a regular basis to show off some off the amazing handmade talent out there!

I've never been the kind to be frivolous with hearts/favorites, they have to mean something. For me, they represent something I would like to have in the future, purchase as a gift, or just occasionally drool over, lol! They are a fabulous way to bookmark super items! I'm a secret admirer, but today we're bringing some of my faves out, here they are:

by 3squares

by diffractionfiber

by trishafern

by resurface

Fabulous Fonts Tutorial!

2009-07-26T15:12:00.001-07:00

I just learned about the wonderful world of fonts that you can add to your computer and wow is it fun! I just made the ad for my Urban Design Photography site over there ------------------> using some of the new fonts I just down loaded from Dafont.com. Need to know how to install it? It's super easy, just follow these steps:

1. Click and save the font you want to your desktop.

2. Go to your desktop and right click on the font file; click Extract Files; save to desktop.

3. Click and hold the "Crtl" key then click on the extracted files (hold down the Crtl key the entire time) This will highlight all the font file/files.

4. Still holding the Crtl key right click on one of the highlighted font files; click Install. Windows may prompt you at this point and ask if you want to continue or allow this change, click yes.

5. You did it! Now just go back to your desktop and delete the font files.

Let me know how this works for you or you have any other tips to add!

Where Is the Summer Going?!

2009-07-23T23:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast the summer is flying by! I've been having a wonderful time soaking it up with my kids. We spent last weekend at the Oregon coast crabbing and walking on the beach, my kids collected every shell and rock they saw. I'm still trying to get all the sand out of my car, lol! The weather is miserably warm here and I'm trying to figure out how we can escape to the coast again to stay cool.

Here's what I've been working on and just listed in my Etsy shop:

I'm In Love - with a phone...

2009-07-11T11:46:00.000-07:00

Yep, I can't believe I'm saying it, but I'm in love with a phone! Who would have thought a phone could rock your world?! I mean I didn't even text a month ago! So who's the charmer? The iphone 3Gs of course, wow, what a hunk!

It started out with wanting a phone to stay in touch with my Etsy customers, I wanted to be able to email and renew sold listings without being planted in front of a computer. First I purchased the new Palm Pre. Let just say that after a month of lost connections, overheating batteries and gazillions of typos from that teeny tiny keyboard, I gave up and returned it. Oh, and did I mention the microphone on the Pre is against your cheek when you talk? You have to hold it away from your face to talk. Don't even think about multi-tasking (read: squeezing between ear and shoulder) with that phone! As a mom of three, that's all I do!

So in my quest for a replacement I stopped by the AT&T store to visit the iphones. I did side by side comparisons of page loading for Etsy and my emails, the difference with the 3Gs was incredible! It was at least 3x faster than the Pre! I was most worried about the digital keyboard and was surprised that I could type an entire email much faster than on the microscopic Pre keyboard. After that I was sold!

I've had it for five days now and I couldn't be happier with it! I use it constantly, and have found all kinds of useful apps. Sometimes change is good!

New Photos

2009-07-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Lavender Fields

Last week was a lot of fun. We loaded up the kids and went to Portland, Oregon for four days. We visited the zoo and spent a couple days at the Oregon Gardens in Silverton. It was fun to get away for a while! I've been slowly working on some of the photos, let me know what you think.

Vintage Roses

Lavender Bouquet

New photo

2009-06-23T23:25:00.001-07:00

This month had been impossible to find time to get out with my camera. I finally got a few minutes at a park last week and this is the only shot I ended up liking. We are spending a few days at the Oregon Gardens this weekend for a family wedding, I'm hoping to sneak out for garden photos at some point!

Check Out this Fun Giveaway

2009-06-21T22:40:00.000-07:00

I just found one of the most fun blog giveaways I've ever participated in! It's on a blog called Teddy Started It. The prize is a natural bug repellent called Bzzz Off, and the theme of the giveaway is What's Buggin' You.

Just reading the responses to this was hilarious and I have to say I felt better after adding my own two cents! So check it out, let me know what you think!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

My husband requested a nice quiet day at home today along with some of his favoite foods. So I thought it would be fun to blog about his requested menu instead of the usual photo related topics! WARNING: This is a full fat version! :)

Green Salad - from the Farmer's Market
Watermelon
BBQ Steak
Ranch Potato's - see recipe below
Paula Deen's Apple Pie - I made this a couple years ago and everyone raved about it, I am now doomed to making this pie for any occasion my family can think of for the rest of my life, LOL!

And here's the potato recipe:
Mom's Ranch Potato's

4-5 Baking Potato's - cleaned thoroughly and sliced to approx 1/4" in rounds
2-3 tbsp. diced Onion
approx. 1/2 c. Water
1 c. Ranch Salad Dressing
1/2 c. Cheddar Cheese - grated

Place sliced potato's in a large pan, sprinkle onions over top and inbetween potato's, pour in water. Cover with lid and cook on med-lo heat until soft. Do NOT stir or turn potatos! (I check after about 10 minutes to make sure there is still enough water to continue steaming, if not add a couple tbsps.) Cook approx. 15-20 minutes. Turn off burner.

If there is excess water drain off. Spead Ranch dressing over the top, sprinkly with grated cheese and cover with lid until melted.

This is a recipe my mom has made since I was a kid and it is sooooo yummy! We recently started using a sharp Irish White Cheddar cheese with it and it super good!

First Market Booth

2009-06-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

Well I survived the crazy and fun adventure of having my very first booth at a local Sunday Market in Walterville, Oregon yesterday! I waited too long to prepare and ended up working on things until 2am for four night in a row. Looking at it now I don't think I needed anywhere near as much as I took. But it will make it super easy for the next market (or five, lol) because I won't need to do any prep!

I didn't sell as much as I would have liked but it was the very first time opening for this particular maket so traffic was slow. But I met some of the nicest people and had lots of encouraging support to keep doing it, which was fun. My new postcards and bookmarks were a really big hit and they made up the majority of my sales. Here's a couple more pictures of my booth:

These photos are terrible because I took them with my cell phone camera. I was roughing it, LOL!

Fathers Day Package $24

2009-06-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

***Father's Day Sale*** Finish your shopping at once! Get this signed 8x12 print, with a matching postcard/notecard, shipped anywhere in the US for $24! Details or purchase here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24293301
Need more info? Message me on Etsy or leave a note here.

Check Out These Artists!

2009-06-06T14:09:00.001-07:00

I recently stumbled across some new favorites and thought I would share them with you! From left to right they are: plush by Nooshka, Pink earrings by Christinewalsh, clutch by Fiazco, scrabble tile necklace by Imcreations, birthday invite by Imeondesign.

My Photos Are In A Movie!

2009-05-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

Five of my prints have been purchased for use in a new thriller film titled "The Roommate" starring Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, and Cam Gigandet. The film is being directed by Christian E. Christiansen and is due in theaters in 2010. You can learn more about the film on the public IMDb site for the film. Here are the prints they chose:

This is the first time my photos have been chosen for a movie so I'm super excited! I'm not a suspense, thriller movie person, but you can bet I'll be there on the edge of my seat to trying to spot them! :)

New Products and Photos

2009-05-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

I've been playing with more of my photos from the Sweet Creek Falls trip last weekend. I don't usually do to many black and white but decided to use it on these trees, along with some enhancements. I also did this daisy, I'm into the grungy look and I had fun adding it to this daisy. Let me know what you think.

Also, I will be introducing some new products to my shop, bookmarks and postcards! I'm excited to expand, and can't wait to get them back from the printers, I will post photos when I get them. They should be a nice addition for my summer craft shows/farmers markets.

I'm hoping to get out to one of the local botanical parks today, it's been rather hot and I want to catch the flowers before they roast in the sun. Have a great Sunday!

Join The Treasure Hunt! Fri 5/15

2009-05-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

TREASURE HUNT TODAY!

Win a $15 gift certificate to my shop today only from 10:00 EST until midnight.

I have embedded a picture of a treasure chest (look like a pirates chest filled with gold coins!) in one of my photos, if you find the treasure chest you win a $15 gift certificate to my shop valid on any 8x8 or larger print. Just convo me when you find the photo. I will refund the difference through PayPal. Happy Hunting! :)Here is a link to the 25+ shops participating in the Friday Treasure Hunt today. Lots of super shops and deals! http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6152055

Exploring Oregon

2009-05-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

The kids and I packed up and went to th the beautiful Oregon coast on Saturday, we played on the beach for a couple hours. It was such a nice day, a bit windy, but it was so nice to be out!

Afterwards we did a short 2.5 mile hike to Sweet Creek Falls in Mapleton. What an amazing place, we had never been there and it was well worth the trip. There was about 10-12 waterfalls along the trail with great places the kids could stop and throw rocks and play in the water. I was in photographers heaven, LOL! Every turn was a beautiful new shot, it was a great day!

Happy Mothers Day!

2009-05-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

I hope this finds everyone well and with a special weekend ahead, spending it just as you would like! My wish was to spend the weekend hiking into some waterfalls or going to Portland, haven't decided which yet. But I'm holding out for good weather so that I can take my camera and hopefull get some good shots!

Here's a new print in honor of Mother's Day:

Check Out My FB Fan Page!

2009-05-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

I just finished my new facebook fan page and I added a special discount valid for this weekend only. Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Design-Photography/86438245904

Photo therapy at work

2009-03-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

Well it's nice to finally have a moment to catch up! My kids were involved too many activities the last couple weeks, wore mom out trying to keep up with them! I was so relieved to have it all come to an end. First thing I did was break out my camera for a little photo therapy, LOL! Here's some of the results:

I will be back to finally post details of the next give away this weekend. Finally! It will be a fun one!

Morning!

2009-03-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

Well my photography and blog was sadly neglected this last week. Work and life got in the way for a few days, LOL!

However, I finally got my new wide angle camera lens that I've been dying to get for the last year! And of course it proceeded to rain every day since! I made a mad dash out one night in between showers and got this photo from a wetlands that is about 10 min. from my house:

Here are the other two I managed to get this week:

Today is our 12th wedding anniversary, we are just enjoying a quiet day at home. And DH has agreed to watch the kids so I can go on a photo shoot. YAY, what a guy! We are going to celebrate our anniv. in a few weeks with a real get away. We had to wait for a babysitter to be available.

And The Winner Is:

2009-03-01T08:44:00.000-08:00

Carrie of Growing A Baby blog! She was randomly selected by random.org as the lucky number 20 winner! Carrie choose a Pretty Face in The Crowd as her favorite from my Etsy shop.

Be watching for another giveaway to be announced later today!

Another Great Old Barn

2009-02-28T20:13:00.000-08:00

I have this obsession with old barns. There is something about them that calls my name as I pass by, a magnetic draw if you will. I think itis the nostalgic character to them. I have fond memories of being a kid and playing with my cousins in an old barn, they were great times! This photo was taken somewhere outside of Noti, Oregon.

Last Two Days To Enter!

2009-02-27T22:33:00.000-08:00

Hurry and get your entry in for the photo art print of your choice from my Etsy shop! All the details are HERE.

My entire family and kids have been so sick. The kids just went back to school today, so I'm finally able to start catching up. The good news is that I'm finally getting the wide angle lens I've been dying to buy! Doing my share of stimulating the economy, LOL! I'm keeping my fingers crossed it comes tomorrow even though the estimated date is Monday.

Let's Hear It For The Challenge Participants!

2009-02-21T20:05:00.000-08:00

What fun it has been to see the photos of the participants in the very first Ready Set Shoot Challenge! The challenge for this was to find something with the color yellow and snap away. Here's the end result:

#1 StudioCherie sent this pretty sunflower. Here is her Etsy shop.

#2 From Jennifer Aitchison, she has this to say about here pretty lemon photo: "I took this photo 2 weeks ago. I live in the midwest and winter starts to get to me by the time February rolls around. As a way to work out the cabin fever I gave myself an assignment to photograph the little things that brighten my day. Lemons on my Grandmothers china sure is one thing that brightens a long gray winter." Find her Etsy shop here.

3# Urbanjunkies/zuppartist sent this beautiful yellow rose. Here is her shop on Etsy.

#4 What a cute bee and sunflower from Painted With Light Photography. Here is her Etsy shop.

This is just a very small sampling of the talent of these artists, so be sure to check out their shops! It took me forever to write this post because I got lost in a couple of them!

I've Been Tagged

2009-02-19T16:18:00.000-08:00

Seven Facts about me you may not know

I have been tagged by Jennifer Aitchison,
to list 7 things about myself you may not know,
and to tag 7 other bloggers to do the same.

Here are my
Seven Facts about me you may not know:

#1) I'm a type A personality and self diagnosed with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) I love working on arts and craft projects but become a little obsessed with them. My DH says a LOT obsessed, he's right, but I'm not telling him that! LOL! Projects I'm most obsessed with are photography and making jewelry.

#2) I'm the oldest of five kids, I'm the only girl. They say I was the bossy big sister. If you met them you would understand it needed to be done!

#3) I LOVE Thai food! My very favorite food ever, yummy!

#4) Did I mention I'm obsessed with photography and photography paraphnilia?

#5) Favorite thing to do? Pack up my kids and go for a hike, go anywhere scenic because as I mentioned above, I'm an obsessed photographer. But really it is wonderful to be with my kids and the the great outdoors, it is very peaceful to me.

#6) My DH and I are celebrating our 12th wedding anniversary in a couple weeks! I swear it gets easier and easier every year!

#7) I'm a crazed bargain shopper. Most weeks my grocery bill is at least 50% of the orig. bill. I call it extreme couponing, LOL! But you know what? It tastes better when you get it for free or cheap!! :)

Ok, Now I have to find 7 lucky new bloggers to write their 7 facts.... go check out their blogs :)
Here they are:
Eva's House
Lady Farrah's
Always Sunny
Borneodiva
Waterstone Jewelry
Cassandra Kiss
Equivoque23

Dogwoods - Love these trees!

2009-02-19T16:10:00.001-08:00

Well I have three sick kids home from school today so I went through some old photos and found this one and did some touch ups.

I'm also having so much fun working on getting my blog post together for the "Ready, Set, Shoot!" challenge! Some beautiful work, I can't wait to share with everyone!

GIVEAWAY!

2009-02-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

Tell me what your favorite photo is from my Etsy shop, Urbandesign. Reply to this post with the title of your fave and if you are the lucky random winner, you will receive a 4x6 print of your fave. Winner to be drawn March 1st

Ready, Set, Shoot, Photo Challenge!

2009-02-13T16:34:00.000-08:00

It's here, the very first photography challenge! Open to any photographer wishing to participate. Here's the rules:

1. Take a photo of the challenge topic, this week is anything yellow.
2. Send the photo as a jpeg file to princess2_frog1@yahoo.com or leave me a link to your Flickr image by Thursday Feb. 19th.
3. You can include a short paragraph about your inspiration or how you took the photo if you wish, if you have an Etsy store send your shop link too!

I will post the results and the info you wish to include on Saturday. Let the fun begin!

Thurday Blog Art

2009-02-12T12:59:00.000-08:00

While browing through one of the community chat forums I frequent on Etsy, I found a really neat blog that I had never heard of. It is called Thursday Sweet Treat, and it is based on a art challenge that is posted every Friday morning. Then the artists get busy and create their magic over the next several days so that it can be posted on Thursday! There is some beautiful work there that I had never seen!

Check it out for yourselves here: http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/2009/02/magnificent-new-works-are-created-when.html

I would love to do something like this just for photographers. Kind of like the 365 day photo challenge, but without all the pressure of every day! Let me know what you think and if you would be interested in paticipating!

Weekend Drive Photos

2009-02-08T18:46:00.001-08:00

I just finished editing a couple photos from a short drive I took yesterday. I've been looking for a giant tree to photograph for some time. And everytime I spot one it is too far away and I would have to ask permission to get to it, which I'm always a bit uncomfortable with doing. When I found this one yesterday with with easy access I was thrilled!

On the way home I found this barn, and I just had to stop. My poor kids get so tired of Mom's sudden stops, LOL! But I'm glad I did! This photo has turned out to be my most popular photo in my Flickr photostream with over 210 views and 140 comments. Too fun!

My New Camera Lens!

2009-02-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

I am soooo excited, I just got a new macro lens yesterday! I had the hardest time deciding what lens to buy, my list of wants is way too long! But I think I made the right choice. I already had a 50mm macro but have found I really wanted a longer length for a better working distance from my subjects. And since spring is coming and I love flower macros, I think my new Tamron 90mm will be just what I need!

We went to a local botanical park yesterday during a break from the rain. I was lucky because there were a few things just starting to bloom.

Fun Friday

2009-02-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

Every friday is Fun Friday, where I blog about anything and everything. A fun way to mix things up a bit! This comic was in an email from my mother in law titled "The Golden Years." Cracked me up!

Do You Flickr?

2009-02-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

I was talking to my co-workers yesterday and telling them how much I love Flickr.com. They had never heard of the site and it made me think that I should blog about Flickr.

www.flickr.com is a free internet community where each member has a "photostream." I upload most of my photos there. What makes Flickr so cool is that other people can comment on your photos! There is thousands of different groups you can belong to for as many different topics. Each of those groups has a discussion board and a photo pool that you can add your photos too for comments from that group.

I am literally addicted, LOL! Not a day goes by that I don't comment or read in one of my groups. I have learned a lot photography and Photoshop tips there. Here's a link to my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbandesignjewelry/

Feel free to ask if you have any questions about how to use Flickr, I'd love to help others become addicts too! :)

Passion in Paris

2009-02-04T07:35:00.000-08:00

Just putting up my newest work real quick. Just made this last night, I've been on a roll. This is 5x5 or 8x8 and I also did cards. Now I have to go to my real job, just when I'm felling all creative!

2009-02-03T20:49:00.000-08:00

I just finished a new photo and card for Valentine's Day. It's not the traditional color scheme, but that's how I am! :)

Yummy Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

2009-02-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

I found the greatest recipe on one of the forums I visit online for chicken in a crock pot. I made it this past weekend and my whole family wants to know when we will have it again. So I thought I would post it here!

1 Whole chicken, thawed and cleaned
Your favorite Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic, ect)
Olive Oil spray
Cooking Spray
3 Foil sections waded into 2-3" balls - read below to see why we use these

Spray the inside of your crockpot with the cooking spray; place foil balls inside and set aside.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and spray with Olive Oil; season all side to your taste. Place chicken breast side down on top of the foil balls. Cook on high (do not use low heat, it doesn't cook right) for approx. 4 hours.

~ The foil in this recipe keeps the chicken off the bottom of the crockpot and gives a deli rotissere style to the chicken. We were amazed at how moist it was, and the flavor was wonderful. We will use this for many years to come! .......I made the leftovers into Chicken & Noodles, a great budget extender!

New Creation

2009-02-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

Well here I am again, finally, LOL! We had to do an unexpected remodel in our business and it took over our life. But I'm determined to return to doing the things I enjoy, I need the "mental" break from our crazy busy life! And I'm looking forward to better weather so that I can get out with my camera more.

I've been playing alot with some digital creations and I've turned into a complete addict! Here's my newest photo, let me know what you think please.

Support your Favorite Charity Everytime You Shop Online!

2008-09-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

I heard about this awesome website today called www.goodshop.com! Here's how it works:
1. You decide to ship online, so first you go to www.goodshop.com
2. Select your favorite charity
3. Click on the link to the store you wish to shop at!

That's it, they do the rest! And they have over 500 retailers that participate! The amount each retailer donates is listed beside each retailers name. I do a lot of my Christmas shopping on line, so I will be doing this to make the dollars I'd be spending anyway go to a good cause!

So let's here it who's your favorite charity?

WIN A PHOTOGRAPHY PRINT

2008-08-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Winner will choose any print from my store in their choice of 4x6 or 5x7 size.
To enter, leave a comment on this post with the name of your favorite item from my store http://www.urbandesign.etsy.com/. Contest ends September 30th, 2008.

Some of my Summer Captures

2008-08-30T21:13:00.001-07:00

My poor lonely blog!

2008-08-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

It's tragic the way I've neglected this blog! It's like I got a new camera and suddenly it ate me for lunch or something. What ever it was, it was the end of life as we knew it!

Since that time I've become obsessed with photographing everything I can get my lens on! And I LOVE it! There is something so magical about capturing a moment on camera, whether it a child's adoring smile or a beautiful flower, it is something that is with you forever with a click of the shutter. Okay, so I might be a little shutter happy! :)

But I'm back now, I am making a commitment to not forget to love my blog too. After all it's another place to showcase my latest obsession!

I will post some photos in a moment......

2008-04-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of my new camera along with a review by dpreviews. This photo is from their site also. They are a great source of information on any camera you could want to know about!

My New Camera!

2008-04-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Since I was a kid I have always wanted a good camera. Well while my computer was down I decided now was the time to upgrade. After hours and hours of research I decided on the Sony Alpha 350. This camera was just released and has some great new technology that only a couple other DSLR cameras have at this point.

The big selling point for me was the the live view LCD screen, a total life saver with all those close up macro shots of my jewelry. The shots above are from my mother in laws yard. Good thing she has such a green thumb, lots of pretty flowers for me to photogragh!

My Computer Died :(

2008-04-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been a bit since I posted but my laptop totally crashed. It wouldn't even turn on! So we had to send it back to HP to get it fixed. I was completely lost without it! But I just got it back this afternoon and it's as good as new and I'm raring to go!

So what did I do in the meantime? Lots and lots, I'm preparing a new post with pics of all the latest!

Fri. DAILY DEAL

2008-03-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

Here's today daily deal! Have you all checked out Best Deal Magazines? They are the cheapest place I've found for magazine subscriptions ever. And right now they have a promo code for an additional 17% off most magazines!

I order all of our magazines from them, it usually takes a couple months for them to come but it is soooo worth the wait! At Christmas time I got Rachael Ray's Everyday Living mag for $6 for a two year subscription.

Here's the link to the website: http://www.bestdealmagazines.com
Use this promo code: VALUE17

Daily Deal Post

2008-03-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Something my friends will tell you about me is I'm passionate about saving money. And you may know I have a couponing addiction, I keep hearing rumors of an intervention. LOL!

I belong to several money saving/tips sites and I thought it might be fun to have a daily deal post. Yes, I want more people to share my addiction!

DEAL(s) OF THE DAY:

COLDWATER CREEK - HUGE sale! Be sure and use this code for 40% off your entire order: WXP1482. Also, check out the outlet section. Some are reporting shirts for under $3 with the discount!! http://www.coldwatercreek.com/

KOHL'S - Men's Arrow/Dockers sweaters, $5! http://tinyurl.com/37w32g $4.20 - $5 at Kohls.com. Use promo code: SAVE15MAR for 15% off and for free shipping use code: MVC5869. Or if you don't have a Kohls card use: KOHLS1680 for 10% off.

Happy Easter 2U!

2008-03-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here's wishing you and your families a wonderful Easter holiday!

I made some really pretty new earrings this morning and I will post a pic later when I have more time. Right now I have some oxidizing that should be done this evening!

New Photo Efforts

2008-03-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I've known that my photos are leaving a lot to be desired. So I've been playing around with some different backgrounds and angles. Here's a few before and afters:

Prior to putting this new picture up and re listing this charm bracelet, it had only 35 views in an entire month. Since re listing eighteen hours ago it now has 87 views! It more than doubled in that time! So I think it made a HUGE difference.

These Purple Rain earrings previously had 21 views previously and with the new pics now has 46.

These turquoise earrings had 32 views previously and now have 71.

I'm still including the first photos so that people can see how they hang. I still need to tweak some things, but hopefully these are much better. The most interesting thing is how many more views I've had since changing the pictures. I'm hopefully it will lead to my first sale. I'm open to suggestions that anyone has to offer too!

New Sellers - Treasury West

2008-03-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

Hopefully you can stand another treasury! This was a fun one to make because they are all Etsy babes! Here's the link too: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=4872

FEATURE: Little Pods

2008-03-20T20:42:00.000-07:00

While on the Etsy forums today I came across a seller who makes the most adorable hand painted children's clothes. Let me introduce you to Little Pods!

She has t-shirts and onesies for boys and girls a wide range of sizes. She is also happy to ship internationally! All products from onesies to burp cloths to blankets, are pre-shrunk and machine washable. And the onesies are 100 percent cotton and extremely durable.

Here is what Little Pods said when I asked her how she got started with her business: Little Pods was started when I was pregnant with my son, Sam. I was in the nesting phase, and unimpressed with the depleted and often times tiny sections of boys clothes at the stores. I decided to make him some onesie. When I took Sam out, people really responded to them, and thus, Little Pods Clothing was born!

I'm not surprised people responded so well to her kids clothing! Can't wait to see her next creations! Be sure to visit Little Pods Etsy shop here: http://littlepods.etsy.com/

Grocery Bill Eating You Alive? Some Tips To Tame The Monster:

2008-03-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

We are all seeing the cost of living sky rocket right now. It makes it so difficult to make the dollars stretch! One of the ways I find save money is with our grocery bill. I have learned that I can often cut our grocery bill by 50% and often more! We are a family of five and my monthly food budget is $400.00, but most months I spend $300 or less. Here's how I do this:

USE COUPONS - buy only what's on sale unless it an absolute necessity (like toilet paper :D and produce/dairy etc.)
Buy the Sunday paper or two or three (some papers have more coupon inserts than others so check them out, if they have lots of Q's I can use I buy multiples)
Ask friends/family to save theirs for you
Organize/Clip Coupons - I do this 2-4x monthly, I keep a categorized binder but any system that you will use will work
Save your grocers weekly sale paper

When it comes time to head to the store I take a little extra time to carefully plan where and what I will shop for. I get out the grocery sale papers and determine which coupons can be matched with sales and promotions. Below are the tips I live by faithfully to save $$$!

Tip: Learn to look for free or nearly free deals instead of shopping for larger quantities to score lower prices, this is a marketing ploy.

Example: You have a $1 off any size toothpaste coupon. You can buy the larger tube and end up paying $1 for it. Or you can buy the smaller size that's on sale 10/$10 (no, you don't have to buy 10, that's another marketing ploy) and get it for FREE! This one tip alone will get you hundreds of free or nearly free items!

TIP: When a coupon says "one coupon per item," is does NOT mean that you can't buy multiples of that item and use multiple coupons. It simply means that you can use only one manufacturer's coupon per one item. So, as long you have one coupon per item you're legal! :) Now, if it says one per purchase or transaction, then one item for your entire order is all that is allowed.

TIP: How to legally use more than one coupon per item - If your grocer has a coupon in their sale paper (called a "store" coupon), you are allowed to pair it with one manufacturer's coupon. Additionally, if you live in an area that has double coupons they can also be used. Thus making a triple play on the same item!

Example: You have a $1 coupon for Hamburger Helper, and in your Safeway sale paper there is a store coupon for $1. Give both coupons to the cashier for a total of $2 off! If your store has double coupons, use those too for additional savings, I get an extra $.50 in my area. (Here is where I would be looking the cheapest HH so that I could get it for as little out of pocket as possible.)

TIP: Keep you eyes peeled for coupons in the store! They are often found on end caps and near new items. I take several at a time.

TIP: Manufacturer's are on an approx. 3 month rotation schedule with their marketing. So you should shop accordingly. This means if cereal is on sale this week, buy enough to last your family three months (it won't go bad). That is approx. when the next cereal sale will be. This way you are only buying when the cost is low.

When you commit to shopping in the above mentioned ways for at least 3 months, you will start to see big changes in what you are shopping for. Your shopping lists look dramatically different! You are now left with only produce/dairy, and some meats, as the needs.

Remember, this takes time, but time is money in your pocket, literally hundreds of dollars per month! It pays well when you calculate per hour!...... This is where most people say they don't have the time. I say you can't afford NOT to take the time!

Here Are Some More Popular Shopping Tips:

Plan ahead for the weeks breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner or special events
Shop on a full stomach
Avoid impulse buys
Don't take your kids - they beg and we usually give in
Most bargains are found on the higher and lower shelves. Most expensive brands are at eye level (to get your attention).
Watch for unadvertised specials.
Use store specific savings cards.
Don't be afraid to try generic or store brands. Most stores will refund your money if you are not satisfied.
Always ask for a rain check if an advertised special is out of stock. (Then look for coupon for that product!)
Create a "shopping pool". Agree with family and friends to shop sales for each other.

I also have several coupon savings websites I use to help me. Refund Cents is my favorite, it is a paid site but it's just a little over $1 per month. Well worth it! Let me know if you want a referral link. I also have a link posted in My Fave Links in the left column.

Many people also like the Grocery Game. It is especially helpful while learning this shopping system because they match the sales to the coupons for you. However, in the long run they are not cost effective in my opinion.

What I Haven't Paid For In At Least A Year!

Toothpaste
Deoderant
Dishwasher Soap
Dish Soap
Toothbrushes
Hamberger Helper
Mac & Cheese
Soy Sauce
Terriaki Sauce
Light Bulbs
Enchilda Sauce
Betty Crocker Cake Mix
Pillbury Brownies
Hot Dogs
Tampons/maxi pads
Baby Wipes
Kandoo Body wash/shampoo/hand soap

This is what I can think of off the top of my head, I'm sure there are many I've forgotten!

Destination Unknown - Treasury West

2008-03-15T00:57:00.000-07:00

This is a shotof my latest Treasury West,
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=4253

This Is Soap?

2008-03-13T23:21:00.000-07:00

As I was browsing through the soap section on Etsy tonight I came across the most artistic soap I've ever seen. It caught my eye right off because of it's striking similarity to some of my turquoise stones. So I clicked on it and sure enough, it is soap made to look like semi precious stones!

Here's Amethyst Soaps slogan: At Amethyst Soaps© we believe that "Dial is dull, Caress doesn't, and we're 99.9% sure Ivory should stay on the animals."

The shop is http://amethystsoap.etsy.com/ they even have an amethyst crystal soap. I like them because they are conversation pieces, totally unique! They sell these by the ounce, and the price per ounce appears to be a reasonable cost at $1.49. I will be watching to see what other neat creations they come up with!

Moue Magazine Features My Work

2008-03-10T22:57:00.000-07:00

Moue Magazine featured me today! They are doing the greatest weekday features of Indie Public retailers. They did a feature on Friday on an amazing soap artist, he actually makes beer soap! If you haven't checked out this site it is fun mix of just about everything!

http://mouemagazine.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/indie-retailer-of-the-day-urban-design/

Check Out This Treasury!

2008-03-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

I did my second treasury west a couple days ago. It ends today, but I thought the Hippy theme was a fun one!

Let me know what you think!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=3448

Wow, 11 Years!

2008-03-09T00:19:00.000-08:00

That's how many years my husband and I have been married now! It doesn't seem possible but the calendar says it's true.

So what did we do to celebrate? We spent an hour rounding up our three darling children ages 6, 4, and 2 and drove thirty minutes to grandma's house. Next we headed to P.F. Changs for dinner, we went early so we could beat the dinner crowd. When we were done at 5:30 p.m. we headed to our local movie theatre to see what was playing. There wasn't anything we really wanted to see and nothing that started prior to 6:40 pm. We spent the next twenty minutes deciding what to do next. The end result? We went to Micheal's Crafts so that I could buy some bookmarks and Best Buy to look at computers for DH.

As we left Best Buy at 7:10pm it hit us that we are suddenly becoming old, very old! Since when do we try to beat the dinner crowd, skip movies because they start to late and decide the craft/computer store is a better source of entertainment? It was a frightening realization! So we went and picked up the children, drove home, tucked them in bed and crossed another year off the calendar. Funny thing is we can't wait to do it again, LOL!

Mixed up Metals

2008-03-02T07:29:00.000-08:00

Here's a pic of a new bracelet I made yesterday afternoon, I really like it. I keep laying it on my wrist and wondering if I really want to sell this one. It's a fun and funky combination of sterling silver, gold fill, copper beads that I made, and pewter. Then I used a bunch of different gem stones including labradorite which is one of my favorites. It was fun to make because it has more of an anything goes sort of look.

I've got lots of items listed now and am anxiously awaiting my first sale. I've been having fun on the various sites I've joined for "self promotion." That's practically a job in it's self! But I've met some of the nicest people and that has been fun.

New Beads - I'm in Love!

2008-02-28T16:19:00.000-08:00

I went to the bead store today to kill some time, which is always a dangerous idea. I just needed to feel inspired by something. Well, of course I found the perfect "something," LOL! These beautiful aqua blue Peruvian Opals. I'm totally in love with the these. They were painful to the pocket book but I couldn't resist.

I also got a couple other fun charms that I will probably use for earrings, maybe with a St. Patricks theme. I also picked up this strand of pearls. So far I haven't thought if what I want to make with them, but I liked the color.

I think I have bead fever or something, I can hardly wait for the next gem show! So I keep visiting my local stores and buying a few things at a time. I only have to wait about three more weeks, but it seems so far away!

Martha Features Etsy!

2008-02-26T21:43:00.000-08:00

Good news for all of us Etsy lovers, we are getting national television exposure! Word is that Martha Stewart will be having a segment on Friday's show about Etsy. I am really excited about the possibilities this will bring the artists on the site.

Since I joined Etsy I have been sharing with friends about my new venture and I am finding that none of my friends have even heard of Etsy. Sometimes I think they're invisioning a online flea market or something. So I think this will be a HUGE promotion for Etsy! Go Etsy, go Etsy, go Etsy!

Featured Etsy Artist - Railyuh

2008-02-24T23:32:00.000-08:00

An Etsy artist with a great flair for photography. She has a beautiful collection of cards, prints and notebooks in her store http://railyuh.etsy.com/. Many of her photos are from one of my favorite places; the exquisite Oregon coast. Here's my interview with Etsy artist Railyuh:

UD: What inspired you to start your photography/Etsy business?

Railyuh: I grew up watching my dad as an amateur photographer, and when I was working for the yearbook in high school I started borrowing his camera to take pictures even though I was not one of the official photographers (and quite a few of my pictures made it into the yearbook!). From there I was just hooked to the hobby. Later I took a photography course in college and fell in love with the darkroom and capturing the world through the lens of my camera.As far as starting my shop, a friend of mine opened up an Etsy shop selling waldorf inspired dolls (http://thelittlenest.etsy.com). I had been browsing Etsy for a long time, but it never occurred to me to open my own shop because the talent here is just overwhelming. But when I saw her open her shop I realized that the artists behind these shops are real people with lives (and often other jobs, school, or children to interrupt their work), and I am one of those people too. I may not be able to devote 8 hrs a day to my shop, but it makes me happy just to know that sharing my work brings some beauty and joy into someone else's life.

UD: How do you choose your photo subjects, and do you have a favorite?

Railyuh: My first love has always been black and white photography. I really enjoy capturing ordinary things from a different angle for perspective. I don't want a park bench to be just a park bench, but something beautiful. I think black and white photography helps transform the subject and makes you look at the world in a different way.My other major subject has always been landscapes. I grew up in Alaska, so I was always surrounded by mountains, nature, and sunsets over the water. Capturing those scenes on film was just my way of holding onto those memories. I've always loved seeing beautiful and new places, which is why you'll find waterfalls and beaches and lakes in my landscape photography. I love the lush beauty of the natural world.

UD: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would your dream photo shoot be?

Ruilyuh: This is a hard question! I spent a few weeks in the Czech Republic when I was in college and I wish I could go back to capture it on film in a different way. I was not as experienced with photography back then and most of my photos were the typical tourist shots. I'd like to go back and capture Prague on my camera in a different way. Other than that, there are a few National Parks I'd like to see, including Yosemite and several of the parks in Utah like Bryce Canyon.

UD: What advice do you have for beginning photographers who want to take better photos?

Railyuh: Practice! Read the manual for your camera and learn how to use the features. When you find a subject, don't be afraid to take 50 or 100 photos of the same thing. Just make sure that you try to capture it from different angles and vantage points, with different settings on your camera. Using a digital camera makes this so much easier (no need to develop a lot of prints that don't turn out or try to keep track of what settings you used since your digital camera can track that for you). Sometimes you'll take one shot of something and it will be amazing, and other times you'll return to the same subject for several different shoots before you find what you were looking for. But with time you'll find the subjects that catch your eye, the angles that please you, whatever it is that makes a photo satisfying to your eye. Challenge yourself to try something different. Most of my pictures are landscape or black and white, but I try to try different things, maybe some macro shots of plants, practicing portrait photography with my son, or trying to capture different emotions or actions on my camera.

My thanks to Railyuh for your contributions to this interview and for being my very first featured artist. It's been a pleasure meeting you!

Visit Railyuh's shop at http://railyuh.etsy.com/ or her blog at http://railyuh.blogspot.com/.

What I'm Working On

2008-02-24T08:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it's yet another rainy day here in Oregon so I'm going to make it an Etsy/housecleaning/blogging day. I think Etsy and blogging will win out!

I'm working on making a bracelet to match my Cherry Blossom earrings. It is turning out so pretty, I want it for myself! I'm taking a break from it right now, all that wire twisting gets old after awhile. I tend to like jewelry projects that I can complete in one sitting. This bracelet does not fall into that category. But I will get it done! I'll post a pic here when it's finished.

The other projects I'm working on are for my blog. I want to start featuring some of the wonderful artists of Etsy here. So I'm working on getting together my first artist interview/feature. She's really talented so I can't wait to get it done! Check back to see her story.

I'm also hoping to create my first treasury with some of the wonderful artists I've met on Etsy's forums. But it seems a bit difficult to snag a spot. I keep checking though.............

Etsy Grand Opening Special!

2008-02-23T09:52:00.001-08:00

My entire Etsy store is 10% off but if you mention that came from my blog your get 15% off! Just send me a note mentioning it and I will refund same day via Paypal. Visit my store at http://www.urbandesign.etsy.com/

If you haven't already visited Etsy you must! It is the must incredible gathering of artists of handcrafted items that I've ever seen. They have everything from jewelry to paintings to literally anything you can possibly think of. If it's fun, funky, classic or whatever, Etsy will have it!

My Very First Blog!

2008-02-22T22:34:00.000-08:00

Well I never thought I would be a "blogger," yet here I am. About two weeks ago I met a new addiction called Etsy where I've learned that a blog is a must. I can't wait to learn all about it!