Archive for November, 2007

Supposedly “cyber-Monday”, the Monday after Thanksgiving, is the busiest online shopping day of the year. I’ll believe it when I see it.

I was thinking about offering gift certificates in my shop, with the idea that sometimes you might want to give a print as a gift, but you’d like for your friend/family member to choose the piece they like best. I suppose it can’t hurt to try, no?

I’m catching up on my blog reading this evening, now that I’m back home with an Internet connection that doesn’t choke on anything larger than 6 kb. Thankfully everyone else was enjoying their holiday, too, so I’m not drastically behind. Because these are the important things–never mind that I haven’t taken a photo in weeks, but god forbid I get behind on my blog reading!

Certain “dollfood” prints of my photography are on sale over at The Shiny Squirrel! So if you’ve been eyeing them from afar, now’s as good a time as any to shop! And keep an eye out for even more new prints there in the upcoming weeks.

(A sunny photo to counteract the wintry day.)

I’m running dry on blog ideas tonight, and I’m really eager to get to bed, so for lack of anything better to write about I present to you my Christmas wish list. We just finished watching Miracle on 34th St., and I’m feeling hopeful, so Santa, if you’re out there, you know what to do:

1. A Flickr Pro account. I know I should stop being cheap and just buy one already, but what else are wish lists good for except asking for frivolous things you wouldn’t spend money on yourself?

2. Speaking of frivolous things… an iPhone. I’m almost ashamed to admit it because I have a somewhat marked aversion to phones in general, but it’s Apple, and therefore it’s pretty, and therefore I must have it.

3. Hardwood floors to replace our carpets. If you happen to have a few thousand dollars laying around that you aren’t going to use, send it my way, OK? I promise it will be put to good use.

4. Anything from my Etsy favorites list. There are so many wonderful shops and items to choose from that I wouldn’t know where to begin in naming just one or two. If it’s on that list, it should be assumed that I want it.

And that just about covers it for the gimme-gimmes this year. See how easy I am to please? A $400 gadget and a couple grand for hardwood floors–now, that shouldn’t be too hard, Santa. What do you think? Have I been a good girl this year? Mmmm?

There are cookies in it for you if you come through, though I can’t promise they won’t be a bit, err, crispy… the oven and I are still having a tiff.

Love,
Caroline

Mmm, I don’t think I’ve quite recovered from the turkey overload of yesterday. I’m still stuffed, but that could have something to do with the hubs’ delicious turkey chili, and the overly generous portion of which I consumed for lunch. Note to self: stop it with the turkey, already.

Also? NaBloPoMo is over in 7 days, at which point this blog will sleep for a million years. Or maybe I will sleep for a million years. Maybe both.

The nice thing about visiting my folks is that there’s very little Internet access and no teevee, which means I have a lot of time to sit around and dream up new photo ideas. So that’s what I’ve been doing, putting my creative energies to work and so on and so forth. Also, doodling a bit. Also, checking my e-mail obsessively, because it’s the only thing that doesn’t take ten minutes to load.

I now have a newer, faster laptop to work from! The hubs replaced his Macbook with a Macbook Pro, so I inherited the “old” computer. Now my words actually show up when I type them instead of five minutes later! Astounding! You’d think that would inspire me to blog about more lengthy, thoughtful, compelling subjects… ahahahahaha! Who am I kidding?

There are lots of new prints in the shop waiting patiently for good homes! I, myself, am not waiting so patiently, but that’s just me. And I just noticed that I’m on the front page of Trunkt.org tonight! Yay for that!

Oh… I think I need another bowl of turkey chili….

There’s turkey in the oven (with bacon on it! Yes, bacon. On the turkey. Because everything tastes better when wrapped in bacon, especially turkey.) and stuffing on the stove and I’m about to float away on the delicious fumes.

In honor of the fast-approaching holiday season, I designed a little desktop doodle for ya’ll. You can download it here:

Widescreen PNG
Square PNG

I’m writing from my parents’ deathly slow Internet connection, so I’m going to keep this short and sweet. Besides, I hear there’s turkey and bacon to be had soon.

Happy Thanksgiving, blogland!

I came across this photographer’s portfolio today, and it’s absolutely fantastic. She’s got the eye, the talent, the Photoshop skills, a fan base, she’s almost pro, and she’s basically got everything going for her. She’s also six years my junior, but uhh, who’s counting? *makes a concentrated effort not to sulk*

While I’m browsing, I stumble upon a photo that looks remarkably like one of mine… at least in concept. The difference being that her execution is pristine, flawless, dramatic, gorgeous, and mine is… well… not so much. Hers: OMG+FAV. Mine: Pbbbbt.

Then I realize, “Oh crap, I just added this person as a favorite on Flickr, and on the off-chance that she actually takes a look at my portfolio, she’s going to find a photo that basically looks like a knockoff of something she’s already done. Brilliant.”

So I take my photo down. Immediately.

Is that weird? Am I being paranoid? The similarity was really too close for comfort. It should go without saying that I would never, ever blatantly rip someone off, but she doesn’t know that, and I’m sure she’s got people stealing her ideas right and left. I wouldn’t look much different from one of those people, even though I come by my ideas honestly. Is that knowledge enough for the Internets, where copyright is such a thorny issue? I’m guessing not.

Then I start feeling a little sad, a little dumb, like, “Why do I bother doing this when there are other people who have the same exact ideas and do them so much better?” And here we go, down and down the never-ending spiral of self-doubt. Wheee, it’s a fun trip, kiddies.

Yes, I know that there will always be someone better, that I’m not trying to win any prizes, that I can’t let things like this discourage me, blah blah blah. To all you positive thinkers out there, I say, give me a moment or six to brood.

… annnd I just sold three prints. If you’ve ever asked yourself the question, “How long does it take one to come out of a self-induced artistic funk?” the answer is, “The time it takes for someone else to hit the ‘Buy now’ button.”

Just in case it ever comes up on Jeopardy, y’know.