23 February 2018

Life of Art SitRep #419 Gun Control Now and Vintage Easter

An odd post title, I know. As I work on adding new designs for the holidays ahead, I paused to work on some activism as well. It's been a busy week.

Gun violence has been on my mind quite a bit recently, so I created a Gun Control Now design to help people show Republicans that we want gun law reform and are tired of waiting.

In preparation for Easter, I created Vintage Easter Bunny Illustration stamp, card, favor bag, tote bag, invitation, mug, chocolate box, jumbo shortbread cookie, and address labels:

Created Irish Lass leggings:

Added Colorful Easter Eggs in Grass Photo to chocolate box, stamps, postcard, card, and return address labels:

Added Easter Egg Hunt Basket Photo to postcard and chocolate box:

Combined the colorful Easter Egg photo designs into one coordinated Colorful Easter Invitations, Postage, Chocolates collection:

Created St. Patrick's Day Green Shamrock paper coasters, stickers, leggings:

Created 3 additional collections: Irish Lass St. Patrick's Day Shamrock collection, Black and White Gingham Plaid Wrapping Supplies, Black Panther Movie Posters:

Click any product above to learn more about it and buy it.

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Happy St. Patrick's Day Collection at Rocklawn Arts; New Gun Control Now collection at Rocklawn Arts; New Are You Wearing Green? Shamrock design at Rocklawn Arts; New Irish Lass, Green Shamrock design at Rocklawn Arts; New Irish Lad, Green Shamrock design; New St. Patrick's Day Green Shamrock design; New Colorful Easter Invitations, Postage, Chocolates Collection. (The unlinked posts are upcoming within the next week.)

Shot 49 photographs, 23 videos. Culled 16 photos, 2 videos. Still need to do a pass on my second shoot and to rate what remains.

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: Better Living Through Death

19 February 2018

An Olympic Conversation

Mom: I really want to watch more of the tobogganing.

Me: Bobsled?

Mom: Yes, dammit, I keep doing that.

Me: Yeah, I really don't think they have tobogganing. But if you see it, let me know, because that would be awesome!


10 years ago on TTaT: Once upon a time in New Mexico (photographs shot on film, yo!)

18 February 2018

You'll Never Guess

At dinner with my parents my dad said with enthusiasm, "You'll never guess what I found and bought at the grocery store!"

"Ooh, don't tell me. I want to guess," I said.

"I get second guess," Mom said.

"OK, I won't tell you then."

I already had something in mind but I considered the options for a minute. What would Dad think would be impossible to guess? I came up with a second option. Which to choose? I went for the second one which hadn't been at the store for longer. We hadn't seen it for at least 10 months, probably longer.

"Ambrosia," I declared.

Dad looked at me blankly.

"Apple," Mom said by way of clarification.

I couldn't tell if I was right or not from his lack of expression.

"I got three," he said.

"Wait, I was right? They had Ambrosia apples and you got some?" I asked. (They are my favorite.)

"Yup."

I raised my arms overhead in victory. "Nailed it down to the specific type!" I said with a grin.


11 years ago on TTaT: At least it's sunny?

17 February 2018

How to Eat

How to Eat (Mindfulness Essentials, #2)5. How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Another slim volume in The Mindfulness Essentials series by Thich Nhat Hanh. I'd recommend this one to anyone who has issues with food (stress eating, over-eating, mindless snacking while watching TV...) to help reframe your relationship with food.

Really this one could apply to any action as a way to focus your attention on the task at hand, to be in the moment while doing it rather than planning ahead or worrying or rethinking past mistakes.


12 years ago on TTaT: 9 symphonies

16 February 2018

Life of Art SitRep #418 Shamrocks and Easter Eggs

This has been a week mainly of production. Not as much as I would've liked but with more variety and different types of products than I usually make.

Created some designs for upcoming St. Patrick's Day: Are You Wearing Green? Shamrock; Irish Lass, Green Shamrock; Irish Lad, Green Shamrock; and St. Patrick's Day Green Shamrock:

You can see the rest of the buttons, t-shirts, paper coasters, bottle openers, temp tattoos, and more in a new Happy St. Patrick's Day collection:

Created a St. Patrick's Day board on Pinterest.

Added Easter Egg Hunt Basket Photo to stamps, card, invite, favor bags:

Also created 50 and Fabulous teal gift wrap and gift bag:

Made monthly backups. Have you backed up lately?


10 years ago on TTaT: Bridging the Gap (I was much further along reading that year than I am this one.)

10 February 2018

Supergirl Vol. 2: Escape from the Phantom Zone

Supergirl Vol. 2: Escape from the Phantom Zone4. Supergirl Vol. 2: Escape from the Phantom Zone by Steve Orlando

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Supergirl and Batgirl, what a delightful pairing! I'd love to see more of those two together. They have a really fun dynamic.



10 years ago on TTaT: Guess I should turn my cell on

09 February 2018

Life of Art SitRep #417 Violet 40 and Fabulous

Finally caught up with my photography of late, huzzah! This week, I shot 32 photographs and culled 8. I also culled 11 from last week and rated the rest.

Created some more 40 and Fabulous items including an envelope, invite, guest book, pillow, OtterBox iPhone X, Case-Mate iPhone 8/7:

Created 40th Birthday Matching Invitation Set collection:

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Violet 40 and Fabulous Design at Rocklawn Arts and New 40th Birthday Matching Invitation Set at Rocklawn Arts (coming next Tuesday!).

Created a Ways to Resist Pinterest board and updated some other boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

Revised tags and titles for 60 products.

Watched "Photoshop isolate and control color, 1 minute Photoshop Tip" by Colin Smith. It's a great tip! Add a black and white adjustment layer to a color image, set blend mode to luminosity and then just play with sliders!

Read "How To Make Finding Customers Easier Than Ever Before" by Tara Gentile.

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: It ain't over until it's a done deal

02 February 2018

Life of Art SitRep #416 40 and Fabulous and Other Violet Things

Trying to balance learning new things and creating new things. This week felt better in that regard.

Shot 130 photographs, culled 59 and another 9 from a shoot last week. Still need to do another pass and rate them but it got away from me this week. Also did a bit of work on my archive.

Created a new 40 and Fabulous design and added it to paper napkins, paper plates, mug, can cooler, apron, brownies, shortbread, magnet, button, gift wrap, gift bag, stickers, plus size t-shirt, t-shirt, stamps, and address labels:

Created 40 and Fabulous Party Supplies and Gifts collection, made a simple banner for it.

Created Feminist and Nasty Woman - bold white text on violet buttons and magnets:

Rocklawn Arts blogged Bestselling Products on Zazzle Collection, Beautiful Bestselling Wedding Invitations Collection, and Get Your Protest On.

Revised my Rocklawn Arts blog header and replaced it.

Updated my email signatures. Making my brand consistent across all platforms is an ongoing process.

Revised titles and tags on 42 Fabrics.

Created 2 new boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest: Black and White Party Ideas, 40th Birthday Party Ideas.

Watched Tara Gentile's Experiments in transparency day 4 video, 2018 Trends to Help You Make Money on Zazzle hosted by Elke Clarke, and read some articles about trends and Pinterest features.

How was your week?


12 years ago on TTaT: Say it ain't so