Photography And Digital Art

Unique Photo Gifts Add a Touch of Class to Your Gift Giving

2011-11-27T18:51:00.001-06:00

Are you looking for the gift that you know no one else will give? What if I told you this gift is as close as your own fingertips? Creating unique photo gifts just took on a whole new meaning.

Praying Mantis Long Sleeve T-Shirt
by flowerpics4u
See more Mantis T-Shirts

Take this long sleeve t-shirt as an example. This shirt comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. There are 17 women's styles to choose from. Change the text to say anything you like. Choose from several font styles and colors.

You could even choose not to use the photo of this praying mantis or upload an additional photo of your own. Your options are limited only to your imagination and preferences.

Just click on the customize it button below any product you see in the store and follow the easy instructions.

For The Men In Your Life

For the hard to please men in your life surprise them with something really unique. Add text to give these gifts their own style.

Praying Mantis Collection by flowerpics4u
Create your own neck ties with zazzle.com

Praying Mantis Collection by flowerpics4u
Browse Praying mantis Hats

And if you don't like the image that is on the gift you've chosen you can even add your own. Creating your own unique photo gifts can be fun and easy.

Deck Your Walls With Inspirational Nature Photos

make custom gifts at Zazzle
Photo art gifts created from nature's best scenes. Each photo reflects the inspirational beauty of mother nature herself, and my joy of sharing. Sharing and caring run in the family. My youngest daughter does animal rescue. She has loved dogs since she was a little girl.

Her enthusiasm gave me an idea.

For a Limited Time

I will donate 50% of all profit from my store to this beautiful dog. My goal is to "Help Lulu Get Her Surgery!"

Meet Lulu!

I may not love animals as much as my daughter. But there are times when one will tug at my heart strings.

Lulu is my daughter's foster and she is in need of surgery. You can read her story at www.2pawsup.org.

So if you are looking for the "Perfect Christmas Gifts for that hard to shop for family member" you're sure to find what you're looking for PLUS you'll help a fantastic dog in need.

Design Your Own Unique Gifts

What does all of this have to do with designing your own gifts? I'm glad you asked! Every product in my store has a "customize it" option. Click on it and you will have the opportunity to add text or your own photos to mine. Heck you can even replace my photos with your own if you like.

Remember, 50% of my profits will be donated to this cause. Hurry!!!! This opportunity to help Lulu ends December 31st. You can visit my Zazzle Store here...

Defining Who You are

2010-11-22T11:04:00.000-06:00

So many times we allow our things to define who we are. Often the loss of a favorite item brings this so close that we finally recognize and can learn to define ourselves more authentically.

A few years ago I found myself in a position that I gave up my one and only car. At the time I didn't realize how dependent I was on that car. I was living with someone who had a vehicle. So I thought I would be okay.

But I found myself shutting down. It was such a slow and subtle process that I didn't even realize it was happening. I was going through lots of changes at the time and being forced to question the things in my life.

I was faced with questions such as:

why do you wear make up
why do you carry a purse
why do you eat those kinds of foods
why do you like to go dancing
why do you color your hair
why do you want to work that job

Slowly I found myself giving up just about everything. And in the process I realized I no longer knew who I am.

They say, cleansing is good for the soul. But sometimes when we define ourselves by the things that surround us, it can take a long time to find that authentic person. Sometimes depression may even set in.

But the good news is. Once the dust settles and you have taken a deep long look inside. You, the real you, begins to shine brightly for the whole world to see. And you will never think of defining who you are by the things you use and enjoy.

Best of all, you can still have all those things. You just won't be defined or owned by them. That's when life really starts to get fun.

Backyard Poultry Comes With The House

2010-10-26T15:55:00.041-05:00

When my daughter and her children moved to North Carolina they discovered that chickens came with their new house. The former owners moved into a place that was not convenient for taking backyard poultry.

Chicks Looking Around

My daughter, Mikki, is a lover of nearly all animals. But she will be the first to admit that chickens are not on her list of favorites. You might even say she had a time seeing the positive side to having chickens to deal with while settling into their new home.

Moving from California to North Carolina was a huge culture shock for the whole family. And so it was that there were many aspects of backyard poultry care this new family had to research. After a bit of emailing back and forth with the former owners and lots of online research they began to settle into this new realm.

But one of the chickens began acting funny. It didn't seem to want to leave the hen house. At first they thought it might be injured.

Brooding Hens Are Mother Hens

That's when they learned about brooding hens. Some backyard poultry farmers try many ways to encourage their hens to become brooders. A hen is considered brooding when it takes on the task of playing mother and hatching fertile eggs.

Mikki wasn't interested in even more chickens to learn how to care for.

No More Chickens!

At first every effort was made to gather up all eggs including those under wanna be mama. Having baby chicks to deal with was the last thing on this families mind.

Well with the exception of youngest member of the family, nine year old Morgan. She wanted to experience seeing baby chicks. So it was decided to allow the hen a couple of eggs to satisfy both brooding mama hen and young Morgan.

There's no Stopping Mother Nature

Soon those 2 eggs grew to 16 as the laying hens decided to add their own contributions. No one knew which eggs were fertile and which were eggs to eat.

The five foot rat snake that invaded their hen house didn't care where his meal came from. Soon the eggs started disappearing.

One more lesson in caring for backyard poultry. It would seem that rat snakes are common egg stealers. And they love making chicken eggs their main meal of the day.

They'll even feast on the occasional baby chick. So if mama brooder managed to hatch successfully Mikki was warned that she would probably lose the chicks to snakes or hawks. There didn't seem to be much hope for the dream of one small child and one determined brooding hen.

After a battle with the snake that left mama slightly injured, Mikki decided to try to incubate the remaining nine eggs inside. In the mean time, they were still moving belongings from California. Without proper monitoring of temperature, those nine eggs never hatched.

Sometimes A Problem Becomes The Solution

One thing no one actually counted on was the added dilemma of overgrown grass. After three weeks away with no one to cut the grass, Mikki arrived with belongings to find weeds nearly as tall as she is.

Thanks to a friendly neighbor they were able to get the main yard under control.

Since fall was right around the corner, it was decided to leave the field around the hen house alone. This left around an acre of high grass. They cut a path to the hen house egg laying area. They also cut a path to the feed and watering area. This coming spring will be a good time to get things back in order.

Ducks Listen to Water Running Behind High Grass

This high grass turned out to be a blessing. A walk through the maze reveals wild flowers, as well as signs of wildlife. Where before they had one visiting duck they now had a mating pair. And they seem to have decided to spend the winter.

And the snake has backed off. Perhaps this is the time of year snakes hybernate. Whatever the reason, even in the fall life goes on for the chickens.

I Hear Something in The Grass!

I was preparing for my visit to North Carolina when Mikki called me with the news. "We're having chicks!" She may not be overly fond of chickens but almost any type of baby will win my daughter's heart.

She told me how my grandson, Aaron, heard them while gathering eggs. He came in and said, "Mom, I think we have baby chickens."

"How do you know?", was Mikki's response.

"Well I thought I heard a cheep, cheep, over in the tall grass," Aaron said.

Sure enough, a search through the grass revealed five tiny chicks along with one happy brooding hen. Mother Nature found a way.

Since the hens didn't feel safe inside the hen house they decided to take charge. Mikki and the kids noticed that their daily count of eggs had fallen. The lower number of eggs in the nest meant the hens were laying in other places.

Feeding Time At The Hogans

Chicks Peek Out With Caution

My first view of the chicks was nearly a week later. We all went out with Mikki to feed the chickens. Babies were all gathered up under mama's wings for protection. You can see them wondering out in this picture on the left.

It's really true that mother hen's take their younger under their wings for protection. When it's safe they squeeze out into the open.

Chicks Watch Mama Close Now

Feeding time has changed just a little now. Mama is fed first to let her know it's safe to come out. The other chickens show great respect and allow babies to eat first.

The ducks just barge right in. Maybe they think they are the only ones in the yard.

By now the remaining chickens and roosters alike wander over to finish off the feed.

Enjoy Chicken Feeding Time

Here is a cute little video I took where Mama hen eats right out of the feed scoop.

The children are all having fun learning what it takes to raise and feed range fed chickens. And for California beach combers they are all doing a wonderful job.

I hope you have enjoyed this little trip to the family back yard. If you would like to see more nature and flower pictures, be sure and visit my new enhanced gallery. I will be adding new images to this gallery almost daily. So be sure and register so you won't miss any.

Living Your Dream Life

2010-10-15T07:21:00.000-05:00

According to all that is said about the "Law of Attraction" we are all living our dream life. You can read it in the Bible yourself, "Ask and it is given." So what happens between that dream and life?

You have probably heard it said that when life hands you lemons make lemonade. The meaning of that phrase is pretty obvious. Take those hard times, those bumps in the road, those forks in your path and receive the gift they are offering. I'm sure everyone has been handed a lemon or two along their path.

Focus on Your Dream

After the dust all settles and the kids are off to school, you take a moment to reflect on your life. Every day we are met with choices. And depending on those choices we create the life we are living.

Growing up I had dreams...

I dreamed of traveling
I dreamed of being a writer
I dreamed of getting married and raising a family

And then Life happened, or so I thought. I married and we had three children. My husband joined the army and so we traveled to Texas.

During the time I was raising my family times were challenging. There were lots of opportunities to see the gifts in the lemons that kept showing up on my door step. Since I wasn't that famous writer I had envisioned, I thought my dreams were always covered in cobwebs in the recesses of my mind.

I was too busy making lemonade to notice that "The Universe" was giving me all I needed to be all that I dreamed of. Leaving home didn't stop those lemons from coming. They simply changed faces, places and nature.

What Face Are You Putting on Your Dream?

In 1972 singer, songwriter Harry Chapin said it best with his song "Taxi". In it he relates the lives of so many of us. And it came out right about the time I was once again taking a road that kept me "busy with the outside" of my life.

The final verse of that song tells it like it is for so many of us:

And here, she's acting happy,
Inside her handsome home.
And me, I'm flying in my taxi,
Taking tips, and getting stoned,
I go flying so high, when I'm stoned.

I've always been so proud of the fact that in my life I always turn lemons into lemonade. Today as I drink one more cup of homemade lemonade I must ask myself an important question. Do I really like lemonade that much?

And so as I write this article I realize I am living my dream life. I raised my family. I travel and I write. It may not be the picture I had in mind but it is a good life.

And now I think I'll have a cup of coffee.

Live Your Dream Life Today

SBI's E-Learning course is the path that makes dreams come true. And now they made it more affordable too. Be sure and check out the lower monthly payment plan. Don't you deserve to really live your dream life?

Marshmallow Roast

2010-07-16T18:51:00.000-05:00

How to Create The Perfect Marshmallow Roast

Everyone loves a good marshmallow roast. Here are instructions for creating the best camping experience a kid will remember the rest of their lives. The steps are simple. And the ingredients are right at your fingertips.

You'll need:

A few flat rocks to build the fire in
A bed of autumn leaves to sit on
A twig for each marshmallow
A marshmallow for each twig
Kids from 1 to 48
Mesh tent (Optional)

Can We Build a Fire and Roast Marshmallows?

You hear the request and wonder what to do. At first you fear you may have to disappoint those precious little faces. But the words jump from your mouth, "Sure we can!"

You are rewarded with squeals of delight and wonder as you sit in a circle with every face on you. "First we have to build a base for the fire. Let's gather some flat rocks." Soon you have a circle of rocks perfect for that campfire.

Now let's gather sticks to put the marshmallows on. Once again the kids return each with the perfect stick for them.

Let's build that fire so it's nice and bright. Got to have a hot campfire if we're going to roast good marshmallows. Each child get's a turn stirring the fire to perfection.

Next we place each marshmallow on the stick just right. You have to stick your twig right in the middle of that marshmallow. Make sure it's on good and tight so it doesn't fall off in the fire now. All eyes are pinned to your hands as you carefully place a mallow on your stick.

Now hold your marshmallow over the fire and watch as it turns from fluffy white to a toasty crispy brown.

Suddenly one of the kids yells out, "Look out your marshmallow is on fire!" You quickly pull your marshmallow up and blow out the flames. "Phew! That was close."

"Awe!" Perfect. Now that's one good marshmallow."

Every once in a while we get a view of how powerful your imagination can be. Every family reunion has at least one memorable event. And when it comes to kids you probably have many.

But kids tend to bring any occasion to life, don't they. Our family reunion this year was no exception. The event rumbled down through all of the adults. You have to get a picture of this, they all said.

Wondering over to the screen tent I could see a gathering of little ones and one extra big kid. They all gathered round in a circle fit for a teepee. A look inside revealed the favored activity of every camping scene.

All the children were gathered round a campfire roasting marshmallows, including my baby brother who is 47 now. They were having a ball roasting marshmallows by a campfire`.

If you weren't there to take pictures you would never know the campfire was a pile of leaves inside a circle of flat rocks set. And marshmallows were actually dried leaves found lying on the forest floor. The only real marshmallows in this roast were in their imaginations.

But I bet this is one marshmallow roast they will remember for a long time to come. If you were really watching the fun and glee that transpired before your camera view you might even find your lips pursed to blow out that fire as you take your pictures.

I know this is one family reunion I'll remember as the best ever. Hope you enjoyed our perfect! marshmallow roast.

Photo Art

2010-06-22T09:27:00.000-05:00

Creating Photo Art by Listening to Your Photographs

Look at your photographs with an open heart and you may be surprised at the photo art you see there. I believe it was in art appreciation class that I first heard this idea. You may have heard it yourself. Many artists say that the canvas, clay, or landscape in front of them creates the artwork.

Turning a photograph into art is just the same. There are certain pictures that speak out to you when you look at them. They have certain qualities that make them good candidates for turning into canvas art. You look at a flower picture and it looks as though it would be a beautiful oil painting. Others may say they dream of being a cartoon.

Well okay, they don't exactly talk to you. But some photos seem to take on the effect that suits them before you ever apply an artistic filter using your photo editing software.

Take this flower photograph, for one example. My first thought when I opened it on my computer was that it would make a beautiful oil painting. Even before I made any editing changes at all the image has a look of a painting. You may see something all together different. But you must admit there is an artsy look to it, right?

Play With The Artistic Filters in Photo Editing Software

Using the artistic filters that are part of almost any photo editing software is fun and inspirational. Use these art filters to create pencil sketches, oil paintings, abstract art, and so much more.

You will notice though that not every photo can be enhanced with the same effect. You may try using an oil filter on a beautiful nature landscape only to find it turns into a blob of unattractive color.

Sometimes using multiple effects will do the trick. Other times you realize the photo is perfect just as it is revealing nature's own artistic flare. These photos simply don't need any changing at all.

Here is that purple flower picture with two effects applied:

Cartoon Effect
Oil Painting Effect

Here I used the Cartoon effect first and finished by applying an oil effect. I often use the cartoon effect to sharpen some of the features in my photos.

The order you apply multiple effects will determine what your finished photo art looks like.

The choices are endless when you combine effects. Be sure and take notes for your own future reference as to what effects you used. You may also want to put them in the file name. The file name for this picture became purple-flower-cartoon-oil-w-7661.jpg. The w stands for web ready and the numbers are the original image number from my camera.

Don't get bogged down with remembering how you came up with your ideas.

It is more fun to simply allow your work to talk to you. Let that next inspired idea play out on your digital canvas. You can always undo. Most photo editing software will allow you to back out all the way to the basic image you started with.

It's similar to an artist using oil paints on canvas and removing a layer of paint when they are not happy with the results. The difference is with digital art you don't have the messy tools to clean up later.

Let's take one more look at this same image using the same effects in reverse.

Reverse the order of appied effects and you create a different photo art all together. In this picture I applied the "oil" effect first, sharpened it a little, then finally added "cartoon" effect to the mix.

As you can see the result is softer and closer to the original. And yet you can see the oil painting quality there as well. Have fun creating art from your photos.

Be sure and save your work with a different name than your original. You do this by choosing "save as" when you are happy with your results. Save your photo art as a copy and you can go back and create more and more using the same photograph.

Baby Ground Squirrels

2010-05-20T07:53:00.000-05:00

Baby Ground Squirrels Separated During Relocation

This rainy day brought a pleasant side adventure with it. The rain had stopped but after a few days of ground saturation it created a bit of an upheaval for at least one family in our yard.

We were just coming home from the store carrying items into the house. My daughter comes into the house with arms loaded to announce, "There's a baby chipmunk in the yard. It's eyes aren't even open yet."

There right off the front porch was the cutest little fur ball rooting round as if searching for its home. I quickly went inside saying, "Hope it stays long enough for me to get a picture."

There is no way I figured it would. I imagined it had wondered out of its burrow and Mom would soon be along to guide it back home. I don't know a lot about ground squirrels except for the pictures I take when on occasion I see them perched on a tree stump or sitting up to check out the area. You can see some of those samples on my Pictures of Squirrels Page.

So I was surprised to find the little creature still there when I returned. We had fun for a few minutes taking pictures of the little guy as he climbed around the porch and dirt the yard. He was obviously looking for his home or family as it turned out.

My daughter put her finger next to him and he didn't run in fright. I guess he wasn't even old enough to know we humans can be dangerous sometimes.
As Tommie moved to get a shot from a different direction she announced, "There's another one over here."

Sure enough under brush was another baby. Soon the first one made his way to his brother. I say he and his because we didn't get close enough to check gender. They may well have been sisters or brother and sister. The only sure thing is they were from the same litter.

I looked later to find that ground squirrels have a litter of around 9 babies once a year. So these two were somehow separated from family it would seem.

My granddaughter, Savannah, wanted in on the fun too. She wanted a closer look at this tiny baby chipmunk number one. Ground squirrel scurried to get together with brother under that bush. There's safety in numbers you know.

The rain started up again sending this photographer running for shelter as well.
A short time later the rest of the story was revealed to us. Mama came to gather her wondering babies. She guided them through the yard to higher, drier ground I'm sure. It felt good to know family was back together again in a place of safety.

Sally Stoneking
Publisher: www.nature-and-flower-pictures.com

American Robins Come to Visit

2010-04-26T09:53:00.001-05:00

It is always fun to get to see Mother Nature in action. My sister Stephanie told me about her new visitors a couple weeks ago. She seems to attract baby robins near. This year she discovered American Robins building a nest on her new front porch. I got to see her welcome home guests while visiting this weekend.

First thing out of bed, I grabbed my camera to get pictures. The first image you can see a tiny little beak peaking up over the edge of the birds nest.
If you are having trouble making that out, just click on the thumbnail to see the larger image. You can see the porch light that the robins built their nest on.

I'm not sure if you can see the angle of this picture. But the nest is over my head. I had to come up with a solution to that problem if I wanted to get a look inside the nest.

Meanwhile I captured Mama bird on the roof keeping a close eye on me. She is making sure no harm will come to her sleeping babies.

I smiled at her and said, "Trust me, I don't want to harm your babies. I just want to take a few pictures."

I don't think she believed me. She just kept traveling from spot to spot, watching me the whole time.

With the help of a kitchen chair, I was able to get a shot of this nest full of sleeping baby birds.

Isn't it amazing how baby birds fill their nest from toe to toe? They seem to spend most of their growing life sleeping. Sleeping that is unless they think they heard mama coming with food.

Getting off the chair wasn't as quiet as getting up. And when my foot hit the porch babies popped up their heads looking for food.

Although I didn't mean to do it, I was glad they woke up. Otherwise I would not have been able to capture those long necks and open mouths anticipating breakfast.

Hmmmm, it would seem all babies, even the human ones, want food as soon as they wake up. These baby robins reminded me of my daughter when she was just a toddler. She would stand by my side in the morning chanting, "Ungy, Ungy, Ungy...". This would continue until I placed her breakfast in front of her. In case you are wondering, "Ungy" was her pronunciation of Hungry.

Back to the Robins. Movement in the nest makes mama really nervous. She ruffles her feathers and squawks at me. Her warning quiets the babies and they lay back down in their safe haven.

I have heard mother birds often warn their young to be quiet. And the babies always listen.

Hope you enjoyed this visit with nature. Here are a few related articles about birds you may like:

In Baby Birds Looking For Food Stephanie shares her picture and the thrill of capturing it. She said to me, I really wanted to have a picture of them sticking their little necks up.

Michelle from West Virginia shares house wren baby bird pictures with readers on her own page.

Last year Stephanie had Robin Baby Bird Pictures that she took at her old house. Here she shares the whole story from eggs to fledgling in pictures.

In the summer of 2008 I had the opportunity to follow a family of Barn Swallow nesting under a park pavilion. I didn't get pictures of eggs but there are lots of little heads popping up over the nests. There were actually multiple nests of swallows in the same location that summer.

Spring Fever Dance

2010-03-08T08:31:00.000-06:00

Spring Fever Dance With The Daffodils

Daffodils Poster Art by Sally Stoneking

Yes this is the time of year when spring fever starts to settle in. We're all feeling just a little cramped from digging out snow this year. But as I look out my window I see grass peaking through.

I know the lovely daffodils will be following close behind for sure. Don't you feel inspired by spring? And who doesn't enjoy these little soldiers as they march across the fields in all their beauty and grace.

It's like a hope for better days ahead. You can see more daffodil pictures here by visiting my main site. I love capturing nature at her best and sharing with you.

Fantasy Art Daffodil on The Beach?

Low Tide Daffodil Fantasy by Sally Stoneking

Sometimes it's even fun to play a little fantasy game. What better way than to hone your digital art skills. Imagine giant daffodils taking over the world.

I was remembering my visit to California when I came across this picture I took of the low tide. The kids and I were having fun jumping rocks and uncovering ocean life you don't usually get to see without scuba gear on. The whole ocean floor revealed by this low tide was teaming with life of all kinds. There were especially hungry sea gulls hovering close by.

It was right after creating the first daffodil print above that I came across the low tide image. I couldn't resist putting the too together. What fun! Isn't it amazing what we can do with a computer and a little imagination?

A More Contemporary View

Daffodils with Bridge ove...

David Tomlinson

Buy From Art.com

There are many ways to do a little spring fever dance. So maybe it's a little too muddy for outside dancing. Those forest paths can be quite challenging this time of year.

Consider bringing a little sunshine to your walls with ready made prints and posters. You might enjoy a print or two where you can enjoy daffodils all year long. And at most places online you can even include framing options.

It's nice when your favorite spring picture arrives ready to hang. I came across this picture of daffodils at art.com. Although I don't yet have a daffodil print of my own on there, you can see other flower prints I've posted by visiting Sally Stonekings Gallery here. There's even a picture of that seagull I mentioned earlier.

Five Easy Steps For Getting The Most From Your Home Office And Enjoy Your Toddler Too!

2010-02-12T09:52:00.000-06:00

Children have a way of reminding us of many things. As a matter of fact a little two year old with their magical smile can have grandmas and dads and moms playing as if they were kids again.

Those beautiful faces can bring a smile out of you just when you thought there were none left. And don't children have a way of getting you to do things you forgot you were able to do? Why they can get you to do things no other member of your family could dream of.

Working from home has many perks. One of those is being able to share some of your time with your children and grandchildren, sometimes even great grand children. But these same perks can present challenges you need to work through.

Don't worry. These challenges are easier to fix than you might think. Here are a few simple solutions for remaining productive in your home office while you still enjoy the perks.

Five Easy Steps For Getting The Most From Your Home Office And Enjoy Your Toddler Too!

1. Keep Organized - This is the first thing you need to do when working from home. Have those tools you will need right at your finger tips.

Finding tools to help you get organized doesn't have to cost an arm or even a leg, either. For instance, I found a cool little file caddy on wheels that holds all my important files right at my finger tips as well as a place for media and a shelf underneath.

And it was only $20.00. So keep your eyes open as you shop. Isn't it cool how things appear as you need them?

If you want to read more check out this article ... Getting Organized where I go into more detail about the importance of organization in your home office.

2. Pick Your Daily Tasks - Lists are wonderful things. They help you pinpoint what is really important to you. So make a list of all you want to accomplish in a day or a week. Put that list in an order of importance.

This is one of those steps you can do while watching those fun TV Programs or movies that your two year old so loves. A simple pen or pencil and paper is all you need. Well it might help to tag your brain along for the ride:)

3. Schedule Your Time - Now that you have your list you'll need to pick a good quiet time for accomplishing those tasks. If your work from home involves getting online or having an online business, you know you need to make the best use of your time for getting those important tasks completed.

It is amazing how quickly we learn to stop wasting time frittering life away at answering emails or playing games. Your ability to schedule becomes paramount when that two year old comes popping her head in while you are in the middle of typing that important article you wanted out today.

4. Enjoy Those Breaks - Yes you heard me right. After all that is why you decided to do the work you love from home, isn't it? So don't get so tied to a schedule that you forget to enjoy the time you have with those little ones.

Don't worry, they seem to know just when it's time for grandma to take a break. You might be in the middle of that great novel. But that's what they made the save button for, right?

And you never know when play time just might bring that story to a better ending after all. One thing is certain, the time you spend laughing and enjoying your toddler is time well spent. You will feel refreshed and ready to go.

5. Close The Door - Last night this important task became very evident.

Have you ever been so engrossed in your work that the world around you kind of disappears? Well I've been accused of that one on more than one occasion. With a toddler in the background I do have on my peripheral vision alert,though.

And from that vision I noted as Savannah, my two year old granddaughter, made her way through my jungle of possessions. This was a feat all by itself, let me tell you.

In what seemed like seconds, she was standing next to me on top of my rolling file caddy, laughing and reaching for the top of my printer. Full of giggles I couldn't help but laugh, as I called mommy to share in this little one's accomplishment.

But all enjoyment aside, I realized that when sitting down for my desired hour of work, it might be a good idea to close the door to my work room. She can't quite reach the knob to open it yet. There has to be some time to work:)

I would like to express a special thanks to Mikki Hogan, owner and founder of www.theallergyspot.com. She happens to be just one of my beautiful children who also works online from home while taking care of a very full house of kids and pets. She has mastered the art of that scheduling and picking tasks I talk about. I hope one day to be as good at it as she is.

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They Called it a Winter Power House

2010-02-09T13:39:00.000-06:00

I have to say that I've missed these lovely winters in West Virginia. Have you ever made a decision just because you knew it was the right thing to do? I'm sure you have. And this year the decision to move back to my home state of WV was mine.

As luck would have it that decision brought with it many upheavals and adventures along the way. And the first of those was a winter storm.

They called this a winter power house on the weather channel. And it dropped over a foot of snow in my daughter's back yard. I must admit it has been a while since I've seen snow like this.

Oh, don't get me wrong. Chicago certainly has it's fare share of snow and cold. You can see lot's of examples of that here at Winter Wallpaper. But this snow was nice and wet and piled up on just about everything.

As you can see by the few samples of winter wallpaper I have, my favorite kind of snow is the big wet heavy stuff. You know the kind. You pick it up and make a snow ball just to throw at your best friend.

Or roll it in a few big balls and have frosty the snow man right there in your front yard for all the world to share. Find some twigs for arms, an old hat and scarf. Oh well you know that story.

I wonder how many kids went to bed on Saturday night dreaming about Frosty coming to life? This was just that kind of snow. Of course maybe part of my imagination has come to life this winter because I'm spending winter with my youngest granddaughter.

This is her first winter. And there is nothing like a child's wonder to bring out the little kid in all of us.

I must admit though, Savannah at two doesn't quite know what to make of this white stuff all over her front yard. Her reaction is kind of like the first time she felt grass. It is totally foreign and not to mention downright cold.

Give her another year and she'll be making snow angels in the yard right along with mom.
I know I haven't mentioned much about the pictures you see on this page today. Hope you enjoy them.

Watch out for the next round to come this week. They say if we thought the Power House was a big one, this coming Nor'Eastern is going to be twice as much. So enjoy these scenes and watch for more.

Be sure and click on the thumbnails to see the larger images. Feel free to download and share with friends and family.

Customer Service

2010-01-25T08:05:00.016-06:00

Today I want to talk about the importance of customer service. Picture this. You are miles away from home visiting family. Or perhaps this is a business trip. It could even be a little of both business and pleasure.

Whatever the case you are having fun and busy thinking about anything but the tasks waiting for your return home. Suddenly your cell phone rings. You take a moment to answer the phone wondering who would be calling from home.

Imagine your surprise when the voice on the other end answers with, “Hello Sally? This is Derek from Number One taxi. I was just calling to confirm your return flight and to verify our information is correct.”

“Yes everything is on schedule as we discussed.”, is your reply.

Derek responds, “Fantastic. We will have a cab waiting for you when you arrive. Just give us a call when you get your bags and we’ll direct you to the location. Have a wonderful trip.”

You hang up the phone feeling just a little bit more important. And you make a mental note that this is why you return to this same company for all of your transportation needs.

This actually happened to me while I was visiting family in California. And it got me to thinking about the importance of good customer service in any business. Why do you return to the same store every time? And why do you tend to buy from the same online locations more than once?

It all depends on how well you are treated, doesn’t it? There are many factors that come into play when we choose a service or product. Those factors may include price, quality, promptness, comfort, to name just a few. But these all have one thing in common and that is how they make us feel about our experience.

Your customer service is by far the most important aspect of your business no matter what type of business or service you offer. Make your customers feel important and they will remember you.

When you think of the multitude of services and products that you as a consumer use in a lifetime what do you look for? I know I look for good customer service. And in these times of great change that we are in, this becomes even more important.

You can thrive in any economic condition if you take a little extra step. Let your customers and friends know you appreciate them. Your rewards will be greater than you can imagine.

I know my favorite airlines is another one. They are one of the few airlines that have thrived through the crisis of our recent hard times. And they did it by providing the little niceties that other airlines cut almost instantly. They treat you like you count. Each passenger on board is important.

So as you plan your new business remember who you are working for. Make building relationships a number one part of your customer service and watch your community grow. You’ll feel good and most important your clients, customers, friends will too.

To your prosperous business,

Sally

Related Articles:

If your business is service related or in the field of art and photography, you may also enjoy this article on selling photography online

What Makes Digital Art?

2009-12-10T18:23:00.002-06:00

In this world we live in digital art seems to be all the rave. And I have sisters who are so very talented in their fields of passion. Baby sis can sculpt like no other I have known. I know I'm just a little prejudiced since it is my baby sister creating the art. But none the less she is so excellent.

I have another sister who's talent is portraits. She can whip out a sketch whose likeness is almost photographic in nature.

And yet another sister who can sculpt your hair with flare and love.

Yes the whole family has talent that is simply amazing.

Being the oldest of eight brothers and sisters has been interesting to say the least. I grew up often feeling more like a parent that a sibling to them. And because we were all spread so far apart age wise I suppose I could have been.

And with all this talent in one family I've often wondered just what mine is. Do we even have to have a talent? We all have some talent for something. You can usually tell what yours is by the passion you feel for what you are doing.

And so that leaves the question where is your passion? Mine is in nature photography. Then taking those nature photographs and turning them into digital art. Digital art is any art that is produced by computer.

According to Wikipediea - Digital art is an umbrella term for a range of artistic works and practices that utilize digital technology. Since the 1970s various names have been used to describe what is now called digital art including computer art and multimedia art but digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

Sometimes I feel like the art I create is cheating because it is so much fun. And as part of this fun I wanted to share with you this art creation made by taking two separate images and blending them together.

I love the look in people’s eyes when they see what can be done using layers and color effects in a simple photo editing software. The base this picture was taken at Herick Lake in Wheaton Illinois.

A little creative cloning cleaned up a runner in the park as well as the no swimming sign by the lake. These objects just didn’t quite match the aged effect I had in mind.

The dancing Shaman was actually a statue standing in downtown Sedona Arizona.

I was hoping for a ghostly effect in the end. This is one of my favorite digital art productions. I hope you enjoy it as well.

By the way, this piece was selected for 2010 desk calendar along with 364 other talented artists. In case you are looking for a special unique gift this year, you can Visit ArtWanted.com!. (As an affiliate, I do receive a small commission for any purchase you make from this link. But it will not affect your purchase price.)

I just got word that mine is being shipped soon.

So are you ready to try your hand at creating a little art on your computer?

Winter Cheer Chickadee Print

2009-11-23T06:29:00.003-06:00

Have you ever lay in bed early in the morning listening as the Chickadee sings out it's name? This little guy is one of those birds that you know the name because when it sings it sounds for sure like it is singing "chicadee, dee, dee".

We were out walking on a cold winter morning when I captured this photo. The sun was shining and snow piled on all the branches. I listened as these black capped chickadees sang their winter song.

Then suddenly I saw one fly past me into the pine on my left. Bird photographs are not the easiest in the world to capture. As a matter of fact I've watched many a nature program where the photographers sit behind what is called a blind.

If you've never heard of a blind it is a protected area created just for observing wildlife unseen. It is the best way to capture wildlife in their natural habitat. The process of taking those perfect shots you see can take hours.

This day though I was lucky. I saw the bird land on that branch. Then just as I grabbed my camera he did a flip and what I captured surprised me even more. The result is this photograph.

May this little bird bring you a whole bunch of cheer this winter. Although we've been lucky to have a mild season this year, you know winter is coming.

Check out my gallery where you can buy this winter Chicadee feeding on pine branches. Yes I misspelled Chickadee the first time. That is a good lesson for those of you who are looking for the best way to sell your photography online. Make sure you look up the spelling of your subject before you hit the send button.

I'd like to say I did this on purpose to capture those searchers who are testing different spellings. But alas that was not the case. Just a matter of forgetting the k.

Sometimes that can be a good thing. You can enjoy this Winter Chickadee in one of three popular sizes. And be sure to check out the framing option while your there. Wouldn't he make a great gift for the bird watcher on your list?

Autumn Flowers Print

2009-10-20T17:18:00.005-05:00

Autumn Store Front Print

This time of year always brings up fond memories of days gone by. It also sparks an added interest in decorating our homes. A walk down almost any street reveals the talents of designers and decorators everywhere.

And how could you miss being inspired when you see the beautiful show that nature puts on every year about this time. There are times when she may be a little slow in getting her best colors out there. But a keen eye will reveal an autumn brilliance along the way. And this brilliance may feel just a little brighter because it is one of a few.

The promise of more to come. This year all the parks have big signs out front announcing "Fall Colors at Their Peak!" I wonder if these human hearts are perhaps wishing the season to hurry up a little?

The store fronts in small towns like Naperville, Illinois especially like dressing up. This little shop is just one example of many. I gave the photograph just a hint of blue hue to bring out the colors. Kind of makes you want to curl up with a good book right there in front of the store, doesn't it?

If this autumn flowers print sparks your desire you can purchase it through my gallery here. The print comes in three popular sizes. Be sure and check out the framing option. My gallery is sponsored by art.com who guarantees your total satisfaction. They do pay me a small commission so everybody wins.

The Way of The Tortoise

2009-09-22T09:15:00.002-05:00

I just came back from a visit with my youngest granddaughter and had the enormous pleasure of witnessing her first real steps. Watching her running after only a few days on her feet brings to mind that old story of the tortoise and the hare. Have you ever heard of The way of the tortoise?

At one time or another in out lives we've all heard the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. I think I fist saw it when my kids were small and watching cartoons. We all rooted for the lowly turtle as he plodded along steady and slow. And the rabbit was so sure of himself. There was no way he could lose right? So sure in fact he had plenty of time to take a nap.

And that's when our slow and steady turtle won the race. Remember the surprise on the rabbit's face when he arrived at the finish line to find our slow and steady friend, the tortoise, waiting at the line. He had that look of "What took you so long?"

Well creating a successful online business is the greatest example of following the way of the tortoise. At first it may seem as if all this content writing and information we are giving away is getting us nowhere. Sure you will see lots of rabbits out there speeding along, sure they will win the race. And there are times when it will appear they have reached that finish line ahead of us slow turtles.

But what have they finished with? It is easy to see the ways in which they are napping and taking it easy. Get rich quick is really any illusion I think we have all come in contact with at one time or another.

But just like my little granddaughter who appeared to be slower than her peers, in the end when she finally sprouted her wings she is moving like a pro. Watching her as she would take her first tentative steps, fall and get up to try again. There were no tears just joyful smiles of glee as she took two more steps the next time. You could see her planning her next strategy well in advance of letting go of the couch.

Our businesses are the same in many aspects. Successful business owners put as much into planning as they do into creating pages. It may appear that nothing is happening for the longest time. But when you start to put those well laid plans into place you will be surprised at how successful you are. It actually appears to those around you that you found the secret to that GRQ we just talked about.

But you and I know the real key is in moving along in a steady pace. Follow the tortoise way to your success. You too will be surprised to find you made it there before those who have fallen for yet another get rich quick scheme.

Related Topics

Honoring Your Accomplishments Take time to appreciate your steps.

Make Focus Your Top Priority For Online Success

E-Commerce for the rest of us If you are thinking about an online business this article is for you.

Online Business what is it and what are the best steps to take?

Photo Hobby - Read how I turned my photo hobby into a successful online business and how you can too.

Selling Photography Online keeping it simple, keeping it real. That is the key.

Selling Art Online the ebook written with the beginner in mind. I use pictures and my own experience to guide you through getting your art published on the internet.

Praying Mantis

2009-08-28T17:01:00.003-05:00

Have you ever heard the legend of the praying mantis? One of God's amazing creatures appear to take on a stance of prayer when resting. Their long forearms held together is part of what gave them their name.

There is a legend of the praying mantis written about in an 1883 issue of Scientific American.

The devotional attitude of these insects when watching for their prey--their fore legs being elevated and joined in a supplicating manner--has given them in English the popular names of "soothsayer," "prophet," and "praying mantis," in French, "prie-Dieu," in Portuguese, "louva-Deos," etc. According to Sparmann, the Nubians and Hottentots regard mantides as tutelary divinities, and worship them as such. A monkish legend tells us that Saint Francis Xavier, having perceived a mantis holding its legs toward heaven, ordered it to sing the praises of God, when immediately the insect struck up one of the most exemplary of canticles! Pison, in his "Natural History of the East Indies," makes use of the word Vates (divine) to designate these insects, and speaks of that superstition, common to both Christians and heathens, that assigns to them the gifts of prophecy and divination. The habit that the mantis has of first stretching out one fore leg, and then the other, and of preserving such a position for some little time, has also led to the belief among the illiterate that it is in the act, in such cases, of pointing out the road to the passer by.

As legends go this is a cool one. For me I see them as fascinating. So you can imagine my joy when one day while driving out of a driveway I noticed this guy sitting on the hood of my car. It was only the slowness of my exit that allowed him to remain there.

I quickly pulled over and grabbed my trusty camera. This particular shot was a keeper. With his head turned at this angle he looks as if he is about to spout some ancient wisdom. Kind of reminds you of the aliens you see in some science fiction movie.

Either way you look at it, it's a fun little image that I used a pencil sketch effect on. Wouldn't this make a great gift for your favorite nephew? Actually I like this little note I found, "The name mantis (“diviner”) reflects an ancient Greek belief in its supernatural powers."

You can add some of these divine powers to your home decor when you purchase in canvas or photo print from my gallery on imagekind. Greeting cards are also available.

Golden Sunset

2009-08-25T18:31:00.002-05:00

The abundance of Mother Nature is clearly visible in this golden sunset. What better way to be reminded than to walk on the ocean floor at low tide. This photograph was taken during low tide on December 10th.

It was my first opportunity to experience low tide. This wasn't the first time the kids had experienced it though and they were having the time of their lives sharing all their great finds. Like walking into a living Biology book, you had to walk lightly knowing that every step you take could be on something that was just swimming under the waves.

A virtual party spread before my eyes and in front of my camera. Tiny crabs scurried to stay hidden under exposed seaweed covered rocks. Coral lay before me drying in the sun. Anemone seemed to find little pools of water to pass the time waiting for the tide to come back in and carry them back to their ocean home.

These creatures of the ocean were the unfortunate ones who didn't get out deep enough when the tide went down. Seagulls were in heaven though as the searched and feasted on delicacies not found every day.

Almost as much fun as watching the kids scurry from rock to rock was watching surfers of every size heading out into the ocean. And as we headed home for the evening I turned to be met by this glorious golden sunset.

I felt like a leprechaun dancing at the end of a rainbow. I'd found my pot of gold to take home with me that day. The swirls of color in the clouds exposing shades of sunlight were like candy to my eyes.

Can you think of a better gift to give a loved one? Or even better why not treat yourself with the richness of nature's gold. Buy your print from Sally's Gallery in your favorite size. You can even have it framed delivered ready to hang in your favorite spot.

A Look at Stock Photography

2009-08-18T18:50:00.003-05:00

10 Important Mistakes to Avoid
When Submitting Photos to Stock Photo Sites

A quick and easy way to make money with your photos is by submitting them to stock photo sites online. You can start earning money with the photos that are already in your hard drive; you don't even have to take new photos right away.

If you want a step-by-step guide to monetizing your digital photos through stock photo sites and other ways, check out Turn Your Photos Into Cash.

Meantime, you can get started right now. But do make sure you don't make these 10 mistakes when you submit photos in stock photo sites:

Submitting low-quality photos. Don't waste your time and energy. Nobody wants blurred, under-exposed and other types of low-quality photos.

Not doing keyword research. The right keyword list can make or break the profitability of your photos.

Submitting photos that you don't own. You can get into real big trouble for doing this.

Submitting photos of people without a "model waiver." Know when you need a model waiver and always get one when necessary.

Submitting photos of objects owned by other people without a "property waiver." This is another legal requirement you should be aware of to avoid future headaches.

Submitting photos that don't meet the stock photo site's standards. You may think your photo is perfect but each site has its own standards, including minimum size, etc. Double check before submitting.

Submitting photos that have unwanted elements. Some items are simply unacceptable in photos. Find out which ones they are and either edit them out or avoid them altogether.

Submitting photos to stock photo sites which require exclusive contracts. Don't submit to these sites.

Submitting photos of mundane objects. Why bother when demand is low and they're all over the web already?

Submitting over-edited photos. Over-editing can drastically reduce the quality of your photos, causing them to be rejected.

If you want more detailed guidance on submitting to stock photo sites, I recommend Turn Your Photos Into Cash.

Aside from making money on stock photo sites, this fact-filled Ebook teaches a number of other ways for you to turn digital photography from a hobby to a home business - a profitable one at that.

Click here to find out more about Turn Your Photos Into Cash.

Butterfly Mouse Pads

2009-08-13T13:49:00.002-05:00

If you are a fan of butterflies you are going to love this idea. How about creating butterfly mouse pads from your artwork? There are many opportunities for selling photography and art online. I have made friends with photo artist friends who have chosen many that I have never even heard of.

Each of these places offer various means of delivering your art to customers. One thing you must remember in going this route is that you are not likely to make a ton of money. You can make money putting your art on these hosting sites. I'm going to tell you a little about some of my favorites in a minute.

Butterfly Mouse Pads

I used two photographs to create this mouse pad. The butterflies are actually the same butterfly placed as clip art into the flower photo. Now creating a mouse pad out of this digital art was easy. I use cafe press to host the product. Cafe Press is one of those places I mentioned where you can host your art. You are free to set your prices as high or as low as you want. You just have to set prices above the base price to make any profit.

If you like this butterfly mouse pad, you can click on the image to be taken to the purchase page. To see more butterfly mouse pad pictures visit here. This brings me to another point about using your photo art to sell products online.

Don't expect to just upload your art and let the hosting company do the rest for you. Although most offer to market your work in their market place, you can do a simple search for any product and notice the competition you are up against.

So what's the solution? Do your own marketing. I've mentioned several times that having a web site of your own is the number one method for getting your name out there. And when a site is done right you will soon be selling photography online far above any competition you may come across.

Places to Sell Your Art as Products

I mentioned CafePress.com first. You can choose between a Pro site or start out with a free basic store front. In free store front you are limited to one of each product available. But you are permitted to open as many stores as you like. So with the help of that website I was telling you about and a little bit of imagination you can have a full fledged store of each of your favorite products and photos.

Next on my list would be ArtWanted.com! In order to sell products through them you must have a Pro account. But I must admit the opportunity to give your visitors a better price and still make almost as good a commission is better. Another good thing about ArtWanted is you can open a free account, upload 3 images and link to another website such as say your gallery on Artist Rising. The best way to take advantage of Artwanted for this respect is to visit other member images and make comments creating a following.

To your success,

Sally

P.S. I almost forgot the most important part of this message. If you are looking for the best place to host your own web site be sure and check out SBI! Like they say, "Why build just another website, when you can build a successful business."

Honoring Your Accomplishments

2009-08-03T16:42:00.002-05:00

An old familiar sense of let down came over me as I clicked the publish button. This feeling has been growing each time a create a new page for any of my websites or blogs. And it occurred to me that something is missing,. "You need a way of honoring your accomplishments.", said that wee small voice in my head.

Working from home has so many rewards. You no longer have to deal with office politics. You can make your own schedule. There's no boss breathing down your neck to finish his project. You can do work you really love.

And working online from home has it's own set of perks. You are no longer limited to a tiny office cubicle but can reach out to the whole world. Everything you want or need for your business is right at your fingertips. You have the date, time, reminders for jobs to complete, email to communicate and a whole world available at the click of a mouse.

This morning as I wrote in my journal I wrote out the month, August. Usually a quick 8, 2, 09 gets the job done. But there comes a time when living in a digital, all numbers world, you forget to take the time to celebrate the little accomplishments or even to mourn the losses.

We go day after day working and living, producing and going about the business of our new found free life. It's so easy to forget to honor what has gone by and be grateful for what has been as well as give a little kiss of farewell to what we have given up.

Gratitude pages, Thank you pages and Evening Journals where you recall the day that has just passed are great tools for doing that. I learned about these journals of self expression from Julia Cameron author of The Artist's Way. She has many tips for honoring our true artistic nature.

Work at Home Can be Lonely Too

We give up the hustle and bustle of office work. And we no longer have to deal with office politics, grumpy bosses, disgruntled co-workers. We no longer have a boss breathing down our necks pushing us for a deadline.

But just the same we don't have the occasional reward of "Job well done!" I even remember one boss who would give out little certificates of accomplishment at the team meeting once a month as an incentive to encourage better work performance and good office morale.

What happens when you work at home? There is no boss to breath down your neck only your own internal boss. And there is no one to say thank you but you. Talk about taking full responsibility for your own life. That includes the rewards and the time for grief, the time to breath and the time to laugh.

Companionship is one that can be difficult to come by. All the people you used to hang out with at the water cooler are now hanging out with those you left behind and having lunch with their other work buddies. Oh you have friends you've met on line but it is hard to put a human feature on someone who is miles away, isn't it?

So what's the answer?

There are ways around this too. I have a friend who makes his living as a professional blogger. Slade writes for his site, Shift Your Spirits, on his laptop while at a local cafe. His articles carry that personal note you can relate to as he builds his articles around the people he talks to there.

Places like Barnes & Noble are connected with a cafe that you can read, commune with other readers and even work on your laptop while you have a cup of coffee or tea. After an hour there you will feel refreshed and reconnected with the world. And you could even come away with a whole list of article ideas for your web site.

Managing A Busy Schedule

My daughter, Mikki, runs a little hub of her own right from home. She started out following her passion and love of children with a site called Unique Parenting.com. The youngest of her four children decided one day she wanted to feed the homeless. Morgan came up with the idea for Morgan's Mobile Meals, because no one deserves to go hungry. This gave Mikki the idea to add another site to her group called A Better Family Business.

Now Mikki has kids ranging from 8 to 20 something. So her life is full of people and activities that keep her in the world of people. But how on earth does she manage the honoring of soul?

Once a week she makes a special trip to Star Bucks. You may have heard of them? They have a few little tables in a quiet atmosphere. It's the perfect place to sit and plan her week ahead. And best of all she gets to enjoy her favorite beverage away from that computer.

Myself, I like to walk in nature but even that can be an isolated adventure. Yet seeing people walk their dogs, ride bikes and occasionally horses keeps me in touch with the human side of things.

So whatever you choose, take time for honoring your accomplishments and maybe even get together with friends. Give yourself a routine that fits you. What makes you feel good about yourself? Give yourself a pat on the back. Job well done!

Photo Collage

2009-07-30T09:32:00.007-05:00

Creating a photo collage has become quite popular these days. Last week when I wrote about creating unique gifts from your photos I used a photo collage as an example. The original photo I used was a collage art created by my sister.

Collages are especially popular with scrapbooking too. I remember as a kid we used to have photo albums where you just slipped your photo in a plastic sleeve and kept them in the order they were taken. Looking back on old photos is always fun. A friend of mine once said, "Looking at old family photos helps you realize just how good you really had it."

But now we've graduated to digital photo collages. You can create just about any kind of photo album you desire. You are limited only by your imagination. I like working with an original image like the one above.

I chose to use the art sculpture image as the main theme placing different flowers, trees, winter scene and so on around this image. The resulting collage tells a story and gives you an idea of the fun we have when walking in our favorite park.

You can do the same around family reunions or other family gatherings. One of the tricks I like using when creating collages in this way is to use layers. You may or may not be familiar with using layers when you edit photos. They used to drive me crazy before I discovered their power.

You might say I was pulled kicking and screaming into the world of editing using layers. I would just get frustrated when I tried editing photos in programs like photoshop or the program I use now called GIMP. But then I read an article in Popular Photography & Imaging magazine. The article claimed that if you master layers you will never have a problem with Photoshop again.

Well they were so right. Now I love working with layers. I promise I will write an article explaining my tricks next time so you can have fun with layers too. In the mean time enjoy these photo collages that I created using layers. Imagine what you can do. Why you could take your art work and make multiple images for selling online. And no two will be alike.

Click on the thumbnails to get a better look at these each photo collage. By the way, in these photos it is pretty easy to tell what has been added. After all it isn't often you see daisies falling into the ocean. And the robin is just a little off in match with the bird bat he is sitting in.

And there are not many daisies painted on real dolphins. The dolphin in this last picture was actually taken at Riverwalk in Illinois, and the ocean sunset is California.

And finally I couldn't resist. You might have guessed I like things out of the ordinary sometimes;) These daffodils look kind of cool sneaking around those Sunset Cliffs in California. Are you ready to bring your photo collage art to life?

Next week I'll talk a bit about layers. See you then:)

Wisdom of Inspirational Gratitude

2009-07-16T18:31:00.002-05:00

When You Are Inspired to Express Gratitude, do so with all your heart.

Have you ever considered the hidden wisdom behind those inspirational expressions of gratitude? How many hearts do you touch with one little thank you? A couple days ago I received an email that lifted my spirits for the whole day.

"Expressing gratitude for all that you send..thank you!
~ recently your message "Yes, you can have it all - just not all at once ~ focus..." embraced my creative heart as I have always known I could have it all.

The part about focus seems to be fine tuning as all the wonder-full creative ventures are lovingly placed in safe keeping for their focus time to be present. Current manifestation is exciting from Galactic Central to the crystal core of our Dear Earth Mother.

Internet focus is quieter for me right now - all in safe keeping. Thank you for sharing your valuable wisdom."

- Elise

The article that Elise was talking about is, Make Focus Your Top Priority For Online Success. It is the fact that she was inspired to express gratitude that I would like to talk about.

There is great wisdom in a simple expression of gratitude. You've probably heard it said that what we send out to the world returns to us a 1,000 times greater. And so it is with the act of being grateful.

Gratitude And The Law of Attraction

I know that I'm not the first person to tell this story. There are lot's of teachers and healers teaching the Law of Attraction these days. And they all agree on one thing. That is that we attract what we place our attention on.

And one little exercise in The Secret is to make a list of the good you see in your life. It makes sense that if we begin our day with gratitude then that is where our attention is going to be.

It really isn't a big secret mystery though. We can only place our attention on one thing at a time. We can try to multi-task and some of us are very good at it. But our attention even in multi-tasking is on the one thing that we are doing right this very second.

I dare you to try to think of something else while you are reading this sentence. You may accomplish the thought but I'll bet you hesitated if only for a split second.

Since this article is about the wisdom of inspirational gratitude, let's take just a second to examine what that means. First look at inspirational. Inspirational means providing creative or spiritual inspiration. I don't know about you but when someone shows gratitude for something I've done, I feel really inspired.

That inspiration in turn brings up a sense of overwhelming gratitude in response. It is a feel good experience by all. But it doesn't stop there. When you are really feeling that sense of gratitude don't you feel a little more inspired to be more creative?

And so the wisdom in expressing inspirational gratitude is the power to touch every life on the planet with a smile.

The Power of Words

Often we don't realize how powerful our very words are. Whether you think them only in your mind or write them or say them out loud, they will have an effect. Today I was listening to an audio interview with Dr. Bernie Siegel, author of Faith Hope And Healing and Linda Pannell from World Changing Wisdom.

He was relating a story about an art assignment done by one of his kids. This child had taken a sheet of paper and written WORDS over and over until it filled the page.

Bernie said, "Anybody listening to this pick up a pencil and write words words words with no space in between them and what you notice is they become swords. And when he brought it home and I looked at it, it was like, "Oh boy!", that you can kill or cure with words or a sword or a scalpel."

I challenge you today to choose kind words of gratitude. And I want to say thank you to all who stumble upon this blog. May your hearts be filled with as much gratitude as mine in this very moment.

Special thanks to Elise for bringing to my attention the Wisdom of Inspirational Gratitude.

Love to All

Sally
www.heartholograms.com
www.heartknowings.com
www.natureandflowerpictures.com

Creating Unique And Unusual Gifts

2009-07-07T15:34:00.010-05:00

Have you considered creating unique personalized gifts with your art and photography? Of course you have. After all you can't turn on your computer without being bombarded with the idea. Right?

Summertime and the living is easy. Okay okay enough of the corny cliches! But really what better time for family gathering than summer time. There are so many things to do together. Everyone thinks of gift giving at Christmas and Birthdays and other special occasions.

What about those times when you need something that will not break the bank? I have one of those family gatherings coming up this weekend. I live out of town so going to a family reunion is really something special for me. It's kind of like a wish come true.

The other time of year our family get's together is for Christmas. And oh those treks through ice and snow make it really hard to keep the Christmas cheer. So I always said why can't we have Christmas in July? At least the gift giving part, right? After all that's when all the sales pitches start.

So this year I decided to create a unique gift to offer the family. My younger sister created invitations using her new graphic arts skill. She is a wonderful artist so going to computer graphics is both fun and challenging. She sent me the image by computer and that's when my idea came to me.

Ceramic Tile Coasters From Photo Art By Sally

Meet the family folks. This was last year's reunion. I took the photo file and created a ceramic tile in my store. I use CafePress to create products from the graphics and images I've created.

In one afternoon I created the product and placed my order. Order processing time is said to be 2 to 6 weeks from creation to delivery. So I figured my offering would have to be sent out after our reunion. Imagine my surprise when the box of tiles arrived just 2 weeks later.

And ceramic tiles are not the only thing you can create with your art. There are many places online that you can create unique gifts with. But for the truly personalized touch I suggest you go with someone you trust and know. I've used CafePress for a few years.

Recently I've switched to Zazzle.com because of the ability to allow you to customize. I am also able to offer better prices too.. I suggest you do a little shopping before making a final decision.

Offer those unique gifts to your potential clients. If you are just in the market to create a unique gift for your own family gathering check out the gifts available on Photo Art by Sally. You can even upload your own pictures to the available products.

Speaking of putting you in the picture. Did I tell you I did not get to go to last year's reunion? I did get the pictures though. And one of them happened to be of all my brothers and sisters. We're the group in the middle of the tile.

I had my granddaughter take a picture of me while visiting them. Ideas come to me at odd times, okay? I put that picture into the original photo and for effect made it a little transparent. Click on the thumbnail to get a closer look.

I told the family I was at the reunion, if only in spirit. Everyone got a kick out of it and I got to share in the invitations for this year. So let me put you in the picture, any picture. Tell them you were at the beach this year. Contact me for details.

Make Focus Your Top Priority For Online Success

2009-07-02T09:24:00.004-05:00

Focus is Key

Photographers deal with focus every time they pick up their camera. You might say it is the most important part of their job. The same is true for artists of any field. It is focus they are most concerned with. That point of interest may be the focal point of a flower, face, tree, or even the meaning behind the art.

But what about other areas of life? How important is focus? If you've ever tried to thread a needle, you know how important it can be. Here is another example. Watch a child who is just learning to tie their shoes. Their focus is nowhere else but the shoe laces they are bringing together into a bow.

So what is focus? And why is it so important?

According to the dictionary focus is one of those words in the English language that can be used as a verb or a noun. And so the meaning depends on how you are using it in a sentence.

Focus can be the main object in an artist's painting. The focus in this case will be that portion of the painting that will draw your eye. Everything else in the painting must compliment this point.

In photography this point will be the subject of the photo. Focus also means the difference between a clear shot and one that is blurry. You may even choose to have portions of a photograph in focus like a flower while the rest of the image is slightly blurred.

What about using focus as a verb? I can think of no better example of the importance of the verb version of this word than in succeeding at your online business.

In starting an online business you are faced with a multitude of choices. And the first choice is what will be the focus of your business?

Your business can be about any or all of the following:

Affiliate Marketing
E-Goods
Hard Goods
Information
Auctions
Network Marketing
Write an E-Book

As you can see there are many things you can focus on when creating an online business.

The best advice anyone ever gave me was to choose one and work all aspects of that focal point until you see results. If you are like me you may flit from one juicy morsel to the next like a butterfly.

This may work for butterflies but, trust me, it won't pay your bills. You will become frustrated and come down with that dreaded disease called Overwhelm!

Yes you can have it all! You just can't have it all at once. Do one thing well and then do the next if you like.

Scattered energy is weak energy that trickles like a dripping faucet. So turn up the energy on your success and pick one aspect to focus on.

Join Nature Tales And Turn Your Hobby Into A Successful Online Business

Are you a photographer looking for tips to selling photography online? Here is a course that will get you started on the road to success. No matter what your service or product, 7 Keys to Creating Online Success will get you moving in the best direction. And best of all it's free when you join today! Your lessons will arrive in your inbox once a week. You will also receive the Nature Tales Ezine twice a month that will keep you up to date with tips, tricks and stories worth sharing.

You will also receive 7 Days to Better Photography a must read for beginner or professional photographer. Join Nature Tales Here

To Your Continued Success!

Sally
www.natureandflowerpictures.com
www.heartholograms.com
www.heartknowings.com

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