31 May 2019

Life of Art SitRep #484 Custom Photo Keepsake Golf Balls

Heading up towards Father's Day, I created Custom Photo Keepsake Golf Balls which would make a fun personalized gift. Just click through to add your own photo. A close-up photo of one face will work best for the small design area.

Also created a couple more business stamps featuring your logo, account number, and For Deposit Only which are sized for checks:

Don't worry, I never see how you customize an item so I won't see your account information.

I made a new store banner, 2 new category icons, and switched out some media files to refresh my Rocklawn Arts store front.

Started work on a new custom birthday wrapping paper which is proving more challenging than anticipated, but I believe it will be worth the effort.

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them. Rest assured, the affiliate links do not increase your cost or change the price of the items.

Watched "Adobe Spark: Create Engaging Social Media Posts In a Snap" with Khara Plicanic. Very helpful how to's and demonstrations of how it works.

Watched last lesson of "Grow Your Business with YouTube" with Tara Swiger. Good wrap up of tips. I'll have to catch the whole thing.

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

How was your week?


14 years ago on TTaT: Packrat Advice

24 May 2019

Life of Art SitRep #483 LGBT Pride Geometric Rainbow, #StopTheBans

This week, mostly more LGBT Pride Geometric Rainbow Pattern items and more rage over abortion bans with #StopTheBans.

See all the LGBT Pride Geometric Rainbow items in the collection below:

Check out all of the pro-choice abortion rights #StopTheBans gear here:

Also created two new stickers to which you can add your business logo, website, and slogan:

Also created a Classic Red, White, Blue Buffalo Check Monogram Cornhole Set. Click to easily customize the initials on each board.

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

Shot 141 photographs, culled 62, rated rest.

Watched "5 hidden tips for cutting out and selecting photos in Photoshop",
"New in Lightroom, Texture: Soften Skin and enhance details in photos", and
"How to combine and blend photos in Photoshop: night sky" by Colin Smith.

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: Same lawnmower, same girl; I don't know what this is except maybe a bad idea gaining momentum

17 May 2019

Life of Art SitRep #482 Abortion Is A Woman's Right, LGBT Pride, Outdoor Games

All the abortion ban laws passed recently or in the works make me furious. They are deliberately extreme designed to attack Roe v. Wade. The ignorance about women's reproductive health care the men making these laws display is infuriating though it shouldn't surprise me. The laws have nothing to do with medical facts. The GOP claims to be about less government oversight and interference but when it comes to women or people of color or immigrants? They are gunning for us.

Because really, can you have an abortion law while claiming it's about preserving life but threaten the death penalty as punishment? Apparently that hypocrisy goes unnoticed or is just thrown in with sights on The Supreme Court.

If preserving life were important to The GOP, we'd have reasonable gun control laws by now.

Anyway, to channel my fury into something productive, I created a collection of Abortion Is A Woman's Right protest buttons, stickers, bumper stickers, t-shirts, and banners:

Click through to see the whole collection.

On an upbeat note, I finished creating my new LGBT Pride Colorful Geometric Rainbow Pattern and put it on a t-shirt, button, stickers, address labels, tote bag, wall decal, poster, magnet, paper plates and napkins, gift wrap, and tissue paper:

I don't have it in a collection yet but you can see the latest products I've created here.

Also filled out my summer party supplies with cornhole games and frisbees:

See more in the following collections:

Also created an Add Your Business Company Logo Branded Ping Pong Ball which is available in several colors as well as glow-in-the-dark options:

Shot 70 photographs and 2 videos, culled 33 photos, 1 video, and rated rest.

Uploaded 424 photographs and 16 videos from last week, culled 173 photos, 1 video, rated rest. Took me ages!

Come to think I have more photographs I shot that I haven't uploaded yet as well.

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: 20 self portraits from 1996, day 9

15 May 2019

Out for a walk...

Out for a walk I warmed up enough to lower my hood. As soon as I did, I heard a large branch cracking above. I immediately stopped as I was approaching tall pine trees and looked up to see how to avoid it.

A futile act no doubt but fortunately the branch didn't break entirely free and was several feet away from the road. Instead it dangled vertically some thirty feet up waiting for a heftier breeze to finish the job.

Still there were old pines with branches that were over the road.

I put my hood back up and hustled past. My hood wouldn't offer much protection, but it would be better than nothing if I couldn't avoid a falling branch or get my arms over my head in time.


10 years ago on TTaT: 20 self portraits from 1996, day 7

11 May 2019

Batgirl, Volume 4: Strange Loop

Batgirl, Volume 4: Strange Loop13. Batgirl, Volume 4: Strange Loop by Hope Larson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Several different stories instead of one arc but all enjoyable and pretty consistent in quality though the last few issues are by different writers.

Hope Larson really has Batgirl's voice dialed in though and the first few issues are hers. I will miss her writing for Batgirl since this book finishes out her run.


10 years ago on TTaT: 20 self portraits from 1996, day 3

10 May 2019

Life of Art SitRep #481 Graduation, Pride, and Summer Party Supplies

Went to a daffodil festival and shot an as yet undetermined number of photographs as I haven't uploaded them yet, but let's go with a lot as an educated guess.

Created Class of 2019 Graduate Chic White Emblem on Burgundy Stickers and Wrapping Paper, and a Class Of 2019 Graduate Photo Blue Custom Color Hand Fan:

Created Rainbow Bullseye LGBT Pride Golf Balls, Golf Ball Markers, Divot Tool, and Golf Glove:

Created Light Blue White Buffalo Check Name Family Picnic Paper Plates, Napkins, and Lawn Sign:

Created Gifts for Mom collection and banner:

See all the latest products I've created here. Click a product to customize it.

Worked on a new rainbow colored pattern that's nearly done.

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest and created Summer Party Ideas and Supplies board.

Made monthly backups. Have you backed up lately?


10 years ago on TTaT: 20 self portraits from 1996, day 2

08 May 2019

Today's Sighting

Walking uphill, I saw one of my neighbors walking a small dog on a leash in their yard. I was probably forty feet away but the dog started yapping as they went around to the backside of their house.

I continued walking but heard jingling. I immediately started scanning for Rosco and spotted him charging out of the corner of his yard, downhill across two driveways and then right at me.

Usually I stop and stand my ground bracing for his potential impact, but today I kept walking towards him as I pulled my sleeves up to avoid getting fur all over me.

He came to an abrupt stop in front of me barking hello and for once didn't lean into me demanding pets and attention. He circled around me as if he was going to keep going down the street.

"Hey, Rosco." He stopped and looked back at me. "Let's go back up to your house."

He took a couple steps in my direction but then changed his mind. "Come on, Rosco," I tried again.

I saw his owner coming down the hill after him. "New dog in the neighborhood. All he has to do is hear one peep from them and he's got to go see," he said.

I smiled and commented, "That's a yappy little dog," as he continued his chase after Rosco who is pretty big.

"He won't hurt her," I heard him reassure our neighbor as he went to get Rosco, but there was a tremendous amount of high pitched barking from the new dog.

After I'd gotten to the top of the street and started back down, I saw Rosco on leash reluctantly trailing his owner.

"That's a mean dog," his owner commented. "She was going to take Rosco down."

It didn't seem to bother Rosco though as he kept looking over his shoulder.

"Come on, Rosco," he said, urging him along.


10 years ago on TTaT: 20 self portraits from 1996, day 1

04 May 2019

Fortunes

Last night's fortunes (none of which are actually fortunes):
Take advantage of your great imagination. It will serve you well!
OK, that's nice.
Dare to dream, hope, believe, seek, feel, find, and love.
OK.

The next one I read in my most authoritative voice...
The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground.
...but bust out laughing on the last word.

And yes, I ate three fortune cookies. They were really tasty this time and they're best when they're fresh. We had ample extras.


14 years ago on TTaT: Now that's a fortune!

03 May 2019

Life of Art SitRep #480 Mother's Day Gifts, Magnetic Notepads, Contour stickers

With Mother's Day right around the corner on May 12th, I added a few new Mother's Day Gifts to my shop including custom photo template jigsaw puzzles and magnets:

Added a Custom Business Logo Self-inking Stamp:

This week saw the addition of two new product types to my shop including customizable contour stickers and magnetic notepads:

See all the latest products I've created here.

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

Shot 34 photographs, culled 20, rated rest.

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: While I'm waiting..., It's still possible: an interlude

01 May 2019

Note to Self, vol. XXVIII

The next time I get my blood drawn, I think I may forgo watching her put the needle in. I was totally fine, I didn't flinch or move or anything, but I wonder if I threw the phlebotomist off her game by doing so. She's usually great but it's 2 days later, I have a large bruise and it still hurts a bit.

Maybe she was having an off day or just an off stick. Guess I'll see what I feel like doing next time.


10 years ago on TTaT: Well, it's out of my hands now...