Happy New Year from Me and Frosty

Frosty the Snowman

Happy New Year! I hope 2014 is everything you want it to be and more. 

I want to have more fun in the new year. I felt just like a kid when I was building the snowman you see pictured above, and I'd like to have more of that feeling in 2014 and in the years beyond. Getting old kinda sucks a lot of times but I really do believe that we don't have to feel old as we age. Attitude is everything.

So let me tell you about my adventure while building this snowman. I'd grabbed one of my scarves and borrowed one of my husband's hats (he's something of a collector) and headed down to a spot that overlooks the ocean and is surrounded by lovely big evergreen trees that were looking pretty spectacular with the new snow. This was just before Christmas.

The snow was perfect for building a snowman and I made him pretty quickly. To tell you the truth, I was maybe more concerned with getting a fun photo of a snowman than I was about making Frosty structurally sound. So I didn't build up his backside very well, thinking it didn't matter because you wouldn't be able to see that in the final photograph.

First I wrapped my scarf around the snowman, then I added my husband's funky hat, a colorful knitted one given to him by a female friend of ours. Next I tried to jam his carrot nose in, but for some reason it wasn't going in easily. I tried a couple of times, and then I really jammed it in, and that's when disaster struck: Frosty's head and torso tumbled off his bottom half and plummeted down the rocky cliff. I couldn't help but laugh at the same time I yelled, "Oh no!" I managed to catch my scarf before it slid down the cliff but my husband's hat was a goner. Some inaccessible bush or boulder is now wearing a very cool hat. Merry Christmas!

So this picture of Frosty is actually a picture of Frosty 2, with another hat (also borrowed from my husband, hee hee). But this time I was more careful and built my snowman carefully.

Anyway, it helps not to take these things too seriously (oh yeah, easy for me to say that, it wasn't my hat!) but in the end, things like your hat going off the side of a cliff are really small potatoes. I want to be in the moment, like a child playing, and not worry about the future and the not-fun things that can happen. If I have a new year's resolution, that's it...be in the moment. Savor it. Today is the day!
snowman art

New Animal Calendars

Yes, it's that time of year again when you're probably looking for a new calendar. Well, I just happen to have a bunch of new 2014 animal calendars, mostly from my Life Lessons series, which combines photographs of animals with funny and/or inspirational sayings to keep you entertained throughout the year. And today Zazzle is having a sale on calendars (and everything else) for 30% off. Just type in the code FRIENDSFAM13 when you checkout to get your discount.

So here's the lineup of 2014 calendars. Just click on the picture and you'll be taken to Zazzle where you can complete your purchase.

All New Life Lessons from My Squirrel Friends

 

Best Of Life Lessons from My Squirrel Friends

 

Life Lessons from Squiggy the Squirrel

Life Lessons from My Squirrel Friends

Life Lessons from Squiggy the Squirrel 2014 Calendar

 

Life Lessons from Chipper the Chipmunk

Life Lessons from My Wild Friends

 

Life Lessons from My Wild Friends 2014 Calendar

Life Lessons from My Wild Friends Wall Calendar

2014 Calendar Life Lessons from My Wild Friends

2014 Coyote Calendar

2014 Owl Calendar

2014 Inspirational Calendar

50% Off Sale!

Now that we're into December, you might be looking for Christmas wrapping paper, cards, and ornaments. It just so happens that Zazzle is having a 50% off sale on those particular products (and more!) until tomorrow. Just type in the code HOLIDAYSMADE at checkout to get your 50% off. They're also having a 20% off sale on all products on the site, so check it out!

Here are some of my Christmas photos on various products. The first two products are popular enough to be on Zazzle's bestsellers lists.

 Santa Squirrel with Candy Cane Wrapping Paper

 Squirrels Celebrating Christmas Cards

I don't know if you'd call this a Christmas ornament exactly but it's one of my latest photographs and I thought it looked very cool on Zazzle's new pewter snowflake ornaments...

Blue Sky Heart and Clouds Snowflake Ornament

I must admit this photograph of a Santa squirrel holding a candy cane is my latest favorite. The look he was giving me was so endearing. So here he is again, on a couple of different Christmas ornaments...

Squirrel Holding a Candy Cane Christmas Ornament

 

White Ceramic Squirrel Christmas Ornament

 

By the way, the ceramic ornament pictured above has your choice of a Christmas tree, wreath, or pointsettias on the back.

Mugs are also 50% off until tomorrow, so here's one of my latest Christmas mugs...

Squirrel and Christmas Present Mug

So I hope you find something you like in my Zazzle shop, Fun Nature Photography. If not, there are plenty of amazingly talented artists who would love to sell you something!

75% off Cards

Zazzle is one of the print on demand companies I use, where you can order my photographs (or the work of many amazing artists) on a huge assortment of products like canvas prints, cards, t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, postage...well, the list goes on and on! I thought I'd let you know about their 75% off on cards sale, which is their best deal yet. The sale is only for two days, so act fast! Just use the code 75OFFCARDS13 at checkout to get your discount. I believe the sale is only on the American Zazzle site but it's still a great deal even if you have to factor in the shipping costs. I have a very large Christmas section in my Zazzle shop, but here are a few of my more popular Christmas cards...

 

Santa Squirrels Celebrating

 

Christmas Squirrel and Candy Cane

Just in case you aren't into squirrels (what?!), here are the Christmas cards my parents ordered from my shop the last two years. We don't get snow in the winters here on the west coast all that often but when we do, I make sure to take advantage of it and try to photograph some animals.

 

Chickadee and Red Berries in Falling Snow

Deer Buck in Snow

I've ordered Zazzle's cards in the past and I was very impressed by their high quality. And you know photographers, they can be very picky!

Time for Texture!

I've always been a fan of using textures to create a mood or add a more painterly appeal to a photograph. Maybe it's because I come from a family of painters (grandmother, father, sister and brother), but I like to blur the lines between photography and painting.

Baby Hummingbird on Nest

I've added textures various ways. Sometimes I add an actual painting I've done; sometimes I paint a texture digitally (in Photoshop); sometimes I photograph a texture (like bark, for instance), and add it to the photograph; and sometimes I buy textures.

Baby Duck in Tall Grass 

Recently I decided to do a series of bird images using textures. I often add many textures to a photograph and play around with the blending modes in Photoshop.

Finch Singing in an Apple Tree

Great Blue Herons Fight

Chickadee in Winter

I like to add inspirational sayings to my photographs occasionally. For the robin photograph I also added a diamond pattern, and I was going for a vintage look.

 Robin on a Cookie Jar

Small Tropical Bird on a Palm Tree

So that's a look at some of my latest images using textures. I encourage you to give it a whirl yourself!

textured birds art

An Elk in the Yard

Roosevelt Elk by the Barn

Yesterday somebody pointed out this crazy video of an elk head-butting a photographer. IMHO, the photographer probably got way too close to a bull elk during mating season. Although it kind of looks like the elk is just playing in the video (several times I've seen young deer bucks do the same thing), the photographer put himself in a very dangerous position. Bull elk can be aggressive during their rut and I've learned to steer clear of them at that time. In general though, it's never a good idea to get too close to them. Usually it isn't a problem because they tend to run away when they see you.

But coincidentally there was a six-point bull elk in our neighbour's yard first thing this morning. My husband was walking the dogs when he spotted it contentedly chewing grass. By the time I got out there with my camera, the elk was standing just inside the forest adjoining the yard. He calmly watched me and although it was too dark to even focus properly, I took a couple of blurry shots. I heard another "crack!" in the woods and assumed that this was the same pair of bull elk that occasionally invade the neighbourhood and help themselves to bushes and apples from a tree that they've since practically destroyed. Yes, they are big boys indeed and they can do whatever they want!

The picture above is of a Roosevelt elk that I saw standing beside a neighbour's barn last year when his antlers were in velvet. I wonder if it's the same elk that I saw this morning. If so, his rack has become even more impressive and he isn't what I'd call shy.

You just never know what you're going to see around the corner here...

elk art

Christmas Craft Fairs

Christmas Squirrel

Yes, it's already that time of year again. If you live on the Sunshine Coast, you can find me selling my photography at the following Christmas craft fairs:

November 9 (10:00-4:00) & November 10 (10:00-3:00) ~  Early Bird Christmas Craft Fair, Seaside Centre, Sechelt, B.C.

November 16 (9:00-5:00) & 17 (9:00-4:00) ~ Sunnycrest Mall Christmas Craft Fair, Sunnycrest Mall, Gibsons, B.C.

November 30 & December 1 (10:00-4:00) ~ Crafts from the Hood, Seaside Centre, Sechelt, B.C.

December 7 (10:00-4:00) ~ Serendipity Christmas Craft Fair, Madeira Park Community Hall, Madeira Park, B.C.

I'll have the usual cards plus lots of Christmas cards, matted prints, canvas prints, magnets, two new Life Lessons calendars, and my two Life Lessons books.


Hope to see you there!
christmas squirrels art