Saturday, November 29, 2008

Route 66 Calendars and Shirts - Free shipping Monday only!!!!!


CafePress is offering Free shipping on orders of $75 or more this Monday, Dec. 1st only. This is a great time to stock up on gift for the Route 66 lover in your home from my Route 66 tee-shirt and more shop.

You can get tee-shirt and sweat shirts for both men and women with some of my classic route 66 images on them. There is also a calendar featuring 12 classic route 66 stops and more! This offer can be combined with any items on cafepress. So come and find that perfect gift for the holidays or just for yourself.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Black Friday to Cyber Monday Free Shipping and More Sale



Fine Art Prints for the whole family are on sale at my Fine art Photography shop on etsy. Route 66, Southwestern Landscapes, Motherhood, Flowers, and more.


Free shipping offer is already in each listing, but if you spend $50 or more you will also receive 10% off your purchase. Just wait for me to send you a revised invoice to pay. Offer good though Midnight PST, Monday, December 1st.

And look for more deals during the first 12 Days of December, a different offer almost everyday with my Fabulous Artistic Moms Group!!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Pumpkin Pie and Other Things I'm Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!

I've been looking forward to this post since last year. I wanted to share the fun experience of making a pumpkin pie from scratch with my daughter. We started the tradition last year and I plan on it being one of the simple and fun things for us to do each year.

Last year just as this year, my daughter helped me scoop out the seeds and other yucky things in the center of the pumpkin. Last year we rinsed and baked the seeds, but they were not a hit with the family, so we didn't bother this year.

Then we steamed the pieces until they were tender and soft. This way the skin peels off very easily. By cutting them in small pieces it took very little time to steam. Then we put the pumpkin in the blender to make the puree. From here you can use any pumpkin recipe you choose. Last year I made our from the Fannie Farmer cookbook. This year I tried and Eagle brand recipes from Allrecipes called Perfect Pumpkin Pie. I'll let you know how it taste this weekend.


I love a good pumpkin pie and last years was wonderful. So much better the the store bought ones and the starting of new traditions with my daughter warms my heart.

This year I'm thankful for my family and their good health. That my mother could spend time with us this Thanksgiving. That this year we found our home, a new house in a new city and a place that feels just right. I'm thankful for my friends. Friends from school, from towns I've live, those I've met online, and for the new friends that have welcomed me so warmly into my new community. I feel very lucky sometimes and I'm thankful for that.

I hope that everyone feels as thankful and fortunate this year and always. Thank you so much for reading my blog and allowing me to share with you.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

The Journey of Motherhood Celebrated in Art

Recently I was contacted by Rachel Leavitt of the blog "The Beginning of Motherhood" about an online exhibition she is hosting called "The Journey of Giving Birth". She asked if I would be interested in contributing anything from my motherhood series, and in particular my photo "Touch". It sounded like a great oppertunity and I sent her a few photos and info on them to use in her blog.
Her blog is about what she has learned though giving birth and motherhood and is very touching. Many of her post are about the feelings of becoming a mother and how motherhood starts with the birth.
Right now the exhibit includes three artists; Erika Hastings, Eugenia Algaze Garcia, and myself. I believe she is hoping to expand it in the future. This is a beautiful way to celebrate mothers, birth, and motherhood.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Etsy Front Page!

I finally made the front page of Etsy again. This time with my new card shop. You can see my Queen Butterfly mini cards or gift tags on the left, third down. Yea.
Thank you so much Holly of Winklepots. Your a wonderful curator and your have a beautiful etsy shop.

Just wanted to do a quick post. So much more to do soon.
Thanks for looking.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Sunday, November 2, 2008

And now for the Winners!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really enjoy doing giveaway's and I think it is a great way to introduce my blog and stores to new people from all over. Also, I really enjoy reading all the positive comments and love to see what people are drawn too.

Some of my favorite comments this time are:
Mistress Meeyee said who said, "Cedar Pipeline Ranch, NV..Thats the one that caught my eye the most.Breathtaking and somewhat lonely,I love it."
It is a lonely area and it is nice to know that I captured that and the beauty of the area in the photo.

Kay made me laugh when she said, "Okay so my hubby just about knocked me over to look at your route 66 series. He is a rusty crusty car guy.
Your art work is amazing. Thanks for the chance to win some!"
It is funny, I originally only photographed old cars, route 66, ghost towns, and landscapes. When I did art shows, men would linger in my booth, but I had very few sales to women.

Elsie said, "The photo of the Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve would be a treasure to me, to look at, as I listen to the music of the Southwest and to the drummers drumming...I can imagine animals, nature's wind and sun, and people weaving their way through this fantastic view..."
Thank you Elsie.

Paige said, "I love JOY- a study of motherhood. I wish I had a picture of me with my girls like that. Can you come and take one for me?"
Thank you, part of photography for me is capturing the moment and this to me is a great example of that.

OH, and there are so many more. Thank you everyone who participated!!!! As a special thanks I'm going to offer everyone 20% off one item from my etsy stores. Just use coupon code fallgive20, and wait for a revised invoice to pay. This offer is got though December 21st, 2008 and is limited to participants of my Fall Bloggy Giveaway.

I know, but what about the winner. Who Won??

After writing everyone's name (and comment number) on a slip of paper each, folding them

and mixing them up in a bowl, my daughter mixed them again.

And picked out just one.

The winner is Andrea Baker of Handmade by Andrea Baker. She has won a $30 shopping spree. I wonder what she will choose, especially since her husband is a wonderful photographer, too.

But wait!!!!! I decided to giveaway second place prizes; 50% off one item in any of my shops, to 10 more winners, since that is about as high as my daughter can count without swiching numbers and getting frustrated (she is only three).
And the second place winners are:
eyeslikesugar (80)
kristinwynder (68)
jessica (25)
pastormac's ann (79)
Katrina (101)
Sarah M (58)
Karen&co. (95)
Oh Mandi (29)
leigh (37)
altermyworld (8)

I will contact each of the second place winners with information on how to recieve your discount.


Now for the Winner of the Second contest, The Butterfly Gift Cards. This was a bit easier with only 39 entries to write on paper. Again, my daughter mixed them up and picked one.

(Isn't this a great felted bowl? I got it from Valeriesgallery on etsy.com )

And the winner is:
Sandy

Thank you, again, to everyone who participated. Please come back and visit me again here at my blog, in my stores, or become a fan on Facebook at LJ Design Photo.


And now for the small print: I will be sending email to all of the winners. Winners have a week to email me back and claim their prize. The shopping spree and 50% one item must be used before the end of 2008, hopefully sooner. If I winners have not contacted me to claim their prizes by Sunday, Nov. 8th, new winners will be chosen and notified.

more great quotes


Don't bother about being modern. Unfortunately it is the one thing that, whatever you do, you cannot avoid.
- Salvador Dali

Living is more a question of what one spends than what one makes.
-Marcel Duchamp