Denise Hawkins

 On our recent road trip, we spent a couple days in Boulder and Denver Colorado. During one of the days an art festival was held on Pearl Street in Boulder. Pearl Street by the way is a wonderful pedestrian mall. One this day we didn't go into any shops there but stayed outside at the festival marveling at the variety of work by the artisans. Photography, glass, metal work, pottery, painting and more were well represented. 

I thought that whoever did the selection of artists did an amazing job. In each category of art, the style of each artist was different. Not a chance to feel like you were seeing the same thing over and over again. Every booth was worth the time to stop and look and take in the beauty of the work being presented. I was so tempted to buy a piece of glass work but limited myself to the photography I chose and still feel like I got one of the best items in the show.

One of the first booths we stopped at was that of the photographer Denise Hawkins. The image I purchased was so beautiful and I knew exactly where it would hang in my home. It is in the living room to the left of the TV so I can see it and smile every day.

I have put pictures of her business card here. The front gives her information, and, on the back, she wrote for me the location information telling where she took this photo. From the front of the card, you see that she has a website, denisehawkinsphoto.com, where this picture was taken and on the back that she has an Instagram account, @denisewyo.

The two things you don't learn from the business card are that this image won a first prize at a photography competition in Saint George, Utah and her husband is an expert framer. In his own words the frame is over engineered. Together they make a great team. I am so happy with this souvenir from my road trip.

 

Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

Etsy Favorites

A long time ago I created a list on Etsy named "Made Me Say Wow". I filled it with art and such I stumbled across while browsing. Today I want to give a shout out to four of the artists and shops that are on that list.

This handsome fellow comes from the shop CarlaKurtArt. It is titled "Afternoon Reflection".

You can find this charming bird in the Etsy shop "JohnHarmonGallery". You can order several sizes of a signed print there.

In the mood to treat you and your home to a luxury piece of handmade furniture. Shop for this and more at the Etsy shop MSTRF.

In one of my favorite mediums, watercolor, you can find this Harbor Seal print in the shop of Dean Crouser. This artwork is a high quality print in a limited, signed and numbered series of 400.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

A Fresh New Look

I recently changed my look for online shops and social media. I used the website Unsplash which has a wonderful collection of images available to be used for free. I was able to find a yarn photo that was perfect for me. By cropping and resizing I was able to make banners and smaller profile images. I am so pleased with how it they all turned out.

Places you can check out my new look are-

• https://www.etsy.com/shop/cozyatoz/
• https://marketplace.zibbet.com/cozy
• https://cozy.zibbet.com/
• https://twitter.com/CozyAtoZ
• and of course here on the blog https://cozyatoz.blogspot.com

If you have a minute I wouldn't mind a comment or two on how you think this all looks.

The image came from Steve Johnson. His portfolio on Unsplash is filled with photography and abstract painting images. I found scrolling through delightful. To find out more and see what's new you can also follow him on Instagram or support his work through Patreon.

On Patreon he introduces himself with these words-

I am a visual abstract artist. Painting is my big thing. I also do digital art, photography, collage, video compositing and mixed media. I often incorporate one art form into another. I know it is a cliche but I really am all about the process. If I am learning something new, I am generally happy. 

Steve Johnson

I am so glad people like Steve are so generous with their work and I am glad he had just the right photo for me.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Photographer Randy Nyhof

Since I first discovered Etsy in 2006 I have enjoyed browsing the site for images, products or art that make me say "WOW". The shop of photographer Rand Nyhof is filled with many images that fit my concept of wow. I think a quick peek at this shop will convince you of the same thing.

I share an image in the tweet below and it got lots of attention and rightfully so. Don't you agree? If you visit the shop feel free in the comment to share what images impressed you the most. I love to hear from any readers that are out there.

What an amazing photographer! Randy Nyhof is on Etsy right here >> https://t.co/M0hSTSSNNk

To go directly to this print for shopping and information go here >> https://t.co/0MJ09Gv94n#etsyfinds #photography pic.twitter.com/fIWyP7VN4n

— Kathy 🌻 (@CozyAtoZ) February 21, 2019

If you want to know more about this amazing photographer/artist you can start with how he describes himself in the about section of his Etsy shop.

Making images was something that has fascinated me since I was a child. After changing majors several times in college I eventually graduated with a degree in art (Specializing in Painting and Drawing). My involvement in photography started my junior year in college and I became known as the photographer on campus. The college I attended had no degree or courses in photography so I am basically self-taught as regards to the mechanics of photography, the ascetic valves I learned from my art experience and looking at a lot of what was considered good photography. For over forty years I operated my own photography business. I photographed weddings, families, seniors, underclass school children, commercial product photography. I gained renewed interest in fine art photography with the new capabilities that digital offered. After showing my work in local shows and being published in national and international publications I decided to offer my fine art photographs to a wider audience. That is why I am now here on Etsy.

Some other stunning images from a shop with over 400 5 star reviews that has been active on Etsy since 2010 that you should, yes I mean you really should, go check out right now. Find your "WOW"!

Posts like this one are not compensated in any way. I just like to share great things that I find on Etsy or other handmade sites. I hope you enjoy them and I also hope it might have a benefit to the artisan that I share with my readers. 

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Featured on a Friday Julie Magers Soulen Photography

Julie Magers Soulen is a photographer I have watched for awhile now. I am a fan on Facebook and follow her blog. You can find her work in a shop on Etsy as well as one on Artfire.

From her bio page on Artfire you get hints of the type of person and photographer she is.

Since I moved to Colorado more than 20 years ago, I have been an avid outdoors enthusiast. In the late 90s we moved to a solar powered off-grid home and I love the independence. I also love being outdoors hiking in the surrounding forest with my two dogs. My love of nature is reflected in my photography. I find nature to be inspiring in all its many forms.

I was thinking about the birds around my house today. For some silly reason I love watching birds. It is something that really started when we lived in Arizona. In fact if you see me online anywhere my avatar is a bird that I took a picture of in my backyard one day. He (I think) was a bold little guy that chirped at me as I sat on the patio.

Back to Julie and why I am featuring her today. Since moving to Wyoming I got to see the beautiful and boldly colored mountain bluebird. Guess who else has seen and photographed them too? Yes, Julie. She has several different prints in her shop and I love them all. What do you think?

If you find these birds as charming as I do you may want to check out her shop (Click here.) for some full sized prints. While you are there look around and she what else she has to offer.

What's New?

I had a great day yesterday. A couple headbands are going to new homes and I got more things listed on Artfire and Zibbet.

In case anyone is wondering I only list the quantity I have. So for example if I make 4 of something I split them between shops and list 2 on one site and 2 on the other. If it is one of a kind it goes in one place.

My plan is to have the number of items stay about equal on each site. I have designed a spreadsheet to help me keep track of what is listed where and how many items are in each shop.

The other good thing yesterday was taking pictures in my new space. I think it is really going to work out well. The natural light in this room is awesome and works to my advantage. Take a look and see if you agree.

Going to work?

I have had an ambitious plan that when I get my new house projects done I will get my self into more regular routines with my crafts and shops. I got a couple more rooms of curtains done yesterday and slipcovers for some throw pillows that were looking kind of worn out. The goal is to have all these things taken care of by the end of this week. Living in this house so far feels really good.

My goal is by next week to get into a regular and reasonable sleep schedule. I was doing that during our move and liked it. I went to bed about 9 and got up between 5 and 6 with no alarm clock. I kept moving through the days while Jim was at work and amazed myself on how much I got done on my own. I kind of messed up on that last night but am determined not to get off track because of one day.

The routine felt really good. My energy levels stayed consistent throughout the day. I did not wake up protesting and groggy with dark circle under eyes. After getting dressed and getting something to eat I just kept moving.

This new house is two story. My sewing room in upstairs. Our master bedroom is downstairs on the main floor. My plan is to go upstairs to work each day as if I was going to a job. Is it silly that I seem to need to play these little mind games with myself? I have found that having the radio on helps my mood and energy as well. Also my weakness when it comes to distractions is turning on the television. I sit down to catch some news and knit or crochet for and hour or so midday and the afternoon is gone before I know it. I have such a backlog of finished items that need to be photographed and listed it isn't funny.

That will be fixed soon. I saved a special section of my new craft room right by some sunny windows so that no matter what the weather is I should be able to take pictures up here nearly every day. My computer is back in my craft room now too so I don't have to go all over the place to take pictures, see how they are, do editing and prepare listings. I should be a one room, one woman, efficient sweatshop from now on.

Oh yeah except my planned start, which was next Monday,for this new going to work idea is pushed back a day because I found out that I have to be at our rental for carpet installation next Monday.

Back to the curtain sewing now.

A Little Friend

Look past the blurry scarf, into the leaves to see who stopped to see me as I was taking pictures today. It is one of the hummingbirds that come visit my flowers several times a day. I have been wanting to catch them for awhile. I was afraid to move the camera closer because I figured it would scare the bird away. If you click on the picture you can see him or her (I don't know) better.

Happy He Is Not 30 Yet?

However he only has one more year to go from today. My son, the poor middle child, is having a birthday today, his 29th. I am rather infamous for putting up pictures on birthdays that my adult children don't like. I am sure that today this photo will keep up with my currently low standards of picture choice.

Happy Birthday to You Jimmy!

I hope....

I really hope all my readers had a wonderful 4th of July. Ours here was simple but nice. We grilled some steaks, had potato salad, fresh corn on the cob and watermelon. That is one of my very favorite summer meals.

Later when the fireworks started I got the camera out to try for some nice pictures. A lot of them were duds of course but one of my own shots made me say wow how cool.

Take a look!



I had a lot of fun with lenses and settings. Can you tell? This picture is straight off the camera. No cropping or adjusting of any kind. Guess what my new desktop wall paper is?

It's All About the Fireworks!

With the 4th of July coming soon I thought I would share my favorite thing about this holiday. No matter what else happens on this day I always look forward to fireworks that night. We are rather lucky where we live. The local display is done at the high school just a few blocks away. There is no need for us to go anywhere. All we have to do is wait until dark and look over the back fence and I love it that way.

I have tried many times to get some great fireworks photos and many times have failed. Last year I finally found a fireworks or night time button on my camera. Can you say duh with me? They would have been so much better with a tripod but I like how some of them came out anyway.

So on to my personal fireworks show!

Donna Says

On her blog Donna says

I make stuff. All kinds of stuff, but always something fun. I take pictures, I sew soft toys, I make buttons...you never know just what I'm gonna come up with next....

This month the EtsyBlogger team is featuring the work and blog of Donna Pool. From hand stitched plush to digital photography this shop has an amazing range of things for you to enjoy.

My favorite photo?


For this girl with Kansas roots it is her windmill photos that remind me of Grandma's farm outside of Dodge City. Take a look at her shop and find your own favorite.

Practice and Learning

One of the things I am determined to do this year is make better use of our camera. We have a couple point and shoots that are light and easy to carry when traveling but I am not talking about those. We own a Nikon D70. Jim bought it for himself a few years ago. It can take stunning images if you know what you are doing with it. I believe that it is the best camera we own for taking product images for my shops but I have barely scratched to surface on how to use it to my advantage.


The technique I have been working on the past couple days is using depth of field to show off an item. The shot above is inside and badly lit I know. What I was pleased with was that the little vase it the star and the background it softly out of focus. I love to read but you have no idea how long it took with a strange new vocabulary in the camera manual to make this happen. FStops, aperature, focal points and so on until I just got the camera and started taking pictures. The little vase was even taken without a tripod so I am surprised at how clear it is.

However the real problem started when I didn't want a picture of an itty bitty thing sitting on a coffee table. Using our regular lens for the larger things like my shawls just wasn't happening. The background just wouldn't fade away like I wanted it to. I may have been able to stick with it but instead I decided to try something else. Looking online about how to get this type of image I saw different lenses mentioned and I knew we had another lens that Jim always told me was for landscape shots. So I figured out how to change the lens without breaking anything, put a shawl on Miss Molly, got out the tripod, set up the mannequin on the patio and backed up about 15 feet. I am so excited! This is the kind of image I have been looking for and trying to learn!

Take a look and let me know what you think. Today after practicing some more and getting some different poses this shawl will be my second item listed on Art Fire.

More Travels

I am sharing with you more of the visit with my daughter in August. We took a drive to the Mogollon Rim to show it to them one day. That is where Jim took the picture of the "dog rock" I showed you in a previous post. The edge of the Rim is right behind us and Grandpa who is very afraid of heights made sure we had the kids right beside us. Not that Mom and Grandma weren't careful but he was just understandably worried. There are no guardrails or protections of any kind here.

We had a late breakfast at the Beeline Cafe on the way through Payson. Highway 87 is known as the Beeline Highway and the cafe is right on that road as it goes through town. It is a fun place with the meals that I have had there well prepared.

We made a quick stop at Saguaro Lake. The day was hot even by the lake so we took a few pictures and then headed home. I amazes me still to think of the beautiful lakes we have around here in the middle of the desert. I keep thinking we should get a boat but Jim says his work hours are too long and we wouldn't have time to enjoy it. I suppose he is right.

I want to try and find an Etsy item to go along with each of my posts. Today I am adding this beautiful sunset on a lake picture. Clicking on the picture will take you to EllaPhante's shop on Etsy if you are interested.

Technorati Tags: etsy,photography,lakes,family visits,Mogollon Rim,Beeline Highway,Beeline Cafe,Saguaro Lake,Payson Arizona

The Rim

We took a drive beyond Payson, Arizona one day just wandering around. Our intention was to get a glimpse of the Mogollon Rim. I have seen parts of it in pictures online and wanted to see it in person. There is, I understand a road that can take you to some of the most scenic spots. Following this route on a dirt road after some major rains was said to be a bad idea by the waitress we talked to in a local diner. She sent us up highway 260 to a ranger station and an overlook area with paved roads. We followed her directions and were stunned by what we saw. It was so beautiful. We want to complete the tour of this area sometime when the other more scenic road is less likely to be a muddy river.

As we were walking along taking pictures with cell phones because we forgot cameras we saw a storm coming our way in the distance. Jim took this picture with his phone and we didn't realize what was in it until we saw the large version of it on his computer. Take a look-- do you see the dog? The rock in the center of the picture looks to us like a dog with his ears laid back. I am sure many others have discovered our "dog rock" but it was new to us. If you want to know more about this area this is what Wikipedia has to say.

The Mogollon Rim (pronounced /mʌɡɨˈjɒn/ by local residents) is a topographical and geological feature running across the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately 200 miles (320 km) from northern Yavapai County eastward to near the border with New Mexico.[1]

[edit] Description
The Rim is an escarpment defining the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau, and along its central and most spectacular portions is characterized by high limestone and sandstone cliffs. It was formed by erosion and faulting, and dramatic canyons have been cut into it, including Fossil Creek Canyon, and Pine Canyon. The name Mogollon comes from Don Juan Ignacio Flores Mogollón, Spanish Governor of New Mexico from 1712-1715.
Much of the land below the Mogollon Rim lies 4000 to 5000 feet (1,200 to 1,500 m) above sea level, with the escarpment rising to approximately 7,000 ft (2,100 m). Extensive Ponderosa Pine forests are found both on the slopes of the Rim and on the plateau above. It is a major floristic and faunal boundary, with species characteristic of the Rocky Mountains on the top of the plateau, and the species of the Mexican Sierra Madre Occidental on the slopes below and in the Madrean sky islands (high, isolated mountain ranges) further south.
The Mogollon Rim's limestones and sandstones were formed from sediments deposited in the Carboniferous and Permian periods. Several of the Rim's rock formations are also found in the walls of the Grand Canyon. In many places the Rim is capped or even buried by extensive basaltic lava flows.
The Rim's uppermost sandstone stratum, the Coconino Sandstone, forms spectacular white cliffs, sometimes several hundred feet high. This Permian period formation is of eolian (windblown) origin, and is one of the thickest sand-dune-derived sandstones on earth.
Cities near the Mogollon Rim include Payson, and Show Low. It is bisected by Interstate 17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff. The eastern portion of the Rim was the site of Arizona's largest-ever wildfire in June 2002, the 470,000 acre (1,900 km²) Rodeo-Chediski fire. The Mogollon Rim was also the site of the Dude Fire that started on June 25, 1990. This fire grew to over 30,000 acres (120 km2) and killed six wildland firefighters. Other large fires have burned along the Rim since 1990, and the area's Ponderosa Pine forests remain vulnerable because of past fire suppression and fuel build-up.
Famed western writer Zane Grey lived below the Rim, with a cabin northeast of Payson, Arizona, near the small village of Christopher Creek. This cabin was destroyed by the Dude Fire in 1990. Grey's book Riders of the Purple Sage and several other of his widely read novels were either set in this general area of the west, or inspired by it.[citation needed] If one stands at certain points on the Mogollon Rim (Milk Ranch Point near Strawberry, Arizona, is one example) at sunset, there is a grand view on clear days for about 50 miles (80 km) in three directions, south, west and east. Some or all of the sweeping landscape may well appear a hue of purple as the sunlight fades.

Soon To Be In My Shop

These two scarves will be in the shop soon. I need to measure them and get descriptions written. I wanted to share their pictures with you today.

I am feeling better about my pictures lately. A lot of that good feeling comes from using tips found in the etsy.com forums. I have a nice Nikon D70 camera and am learning new things about how to use it every time I take pictures.

When my husband bought the camera he got an extra light to go on the top of it. When I first started taking pictures for etsy I used that light source inside because he said it would be all I needed. Somehow those pictures were never ones I was really proud of.

Over and over I kept reading that the best shots were taken outside in natural light. I tried this on the last several things I have photographed and have seen a huge difference. To tell the absolute truth, I am not really happy about needing to go outside though. You see, I live in the Phoenix area and it is so hot all summer that it is not much fun going outside. Even early in the morning it can be closing in on 100 degrees by 9 or 10 am. When it gets cooler in the fall and winter I am sure I will be more enthusiastic about it.

Camera Struggles

I really like the pictures I took here when my daughter and her family came for a visit. The kids were outside enjoying a morning rain here in Apache Junction. The picture of Joslyn and her Dad I think is charming. It wasn't posed and they aren't looking at the camera. They are watching Hunter catch raindrops. They are very comfortable together and you can sure tell they are related.

Hunter was having a great time catching raindrops. I am glad the camera caught the splash so you know what he is doing.

I think a lot the process is - first be there with camera and second take a lot of pictures. That way you will be sure to catch some great ones.

I am still struggling with photography so I am not sure I have much in the way of useful tips to share for this carnival. Some days I take pictures and am proud and on other days the shots I have taken all get deleted. I think people are easier than products. After all, for me how many ways can a scarf or headband pose? I want good shots that will sell and I know the best way to get there is to practice, practice, and then practice some more. I guess I should be glad that my practicing doesn't include film developing costs.

I have a lot to learn about photography and will keep trying.I am leaving you with the Etsy Minis of 2 of the photographers I admire the most on Etsy. Clicking on a picture or their name will take you to their shops to experience more of their work.

New Look

I wandered around the backyard this afternoon playing with the camera. I took shots of birds, flowers and trees. Then when I was going through them I decided to change my banner and avatar. I wanted something brighter for summertime. I am pleased with the way they turned out. You can see them here on the blog and in my shop on etsy. If you are in the mood let me know what you think.

Photos

It gets impressed on you over and over about the importance of good photos to sell items online in the forums on etsy and selling tips on etsy wiki. I have been so worried about even coming close to the standards of photography I have seen in many etsy shops that it created a bit of paralysis in me that kept me in part from listing. Yesterday I decided to just start going for it the best I can. I realized I won't get better unless I take pictures and get them out there. We own a good SLR digital camera that I really don't know much beyond the very basics on how to use but I do want to learn.
I also have 3 different softwares for photo editing that I am using to see which one I am most comfortable with. What I have found with most of them is that any auto fixing I do seems to make the picture look worse. The colors and lighting seem to get all messed up. What I use the software for mostly is cropping and resizing and let the camera's pictures be as they are for the rest of it. I have found one effect that I like for the pictures that other people may not like. I prefer to soften the edges of the pictures. I think it creates a softer look on the page which fits in with my theme of making life "cozy".
I have way too much stuff in my craft room to leave it all just sitting here. I get new ideas all the time that will only add to it. And above all that I really would like to say to my husband some day that I sold something!
So you have my thoughts for today. Feel free to leave a comment. It's nice to know someone might be reading.

Listing a New Scarf Today

I did manage to get some pictures taken of a new scarf. As usual I thought I might spend about an hour taking pictures but it turned into about 4. I am very pleased with the scarf and this picture so it was worth the time. As soon as I get it listed (sometime this afternoon) this scarf will be available in my shop cozy.etsy.com.

I think folks should remember that this photography and listing process is all part of the time it takes to have a product for sale as well as the time it takes to create the product itself. Very few crafters are making anywhere near a living wage making handcrafted items. I think this is especially true for needleworkers like knitters, crocheters and hand quilters.