Saturday, March 27, 2010

Fun with Fonts

Have you ever seen something that you don't have a lot of use for but wish you did? I discovered a site, Web Design Booth, through another blog which I was directed to from a fan page on Facebook, (I think!--with so many things to check out every day, it is hard to keep track sometimes!), and I've bookmarked it to use when and IF I ever have need of it.

I've gone back a couple of times and these fonts look so good that I'm trying to think of a card line that I can create just so I can use them! :-)


Perhaps you use fonts more frequently than and are tired of the selection you have? This post has links to handwritten fonts:




cartoon fonts
:


grunge fonts
:


calligraphy fonts:


and dingbats:






---all free downloads! See what I mean???? I don't know about you, but my wheels are turning now!....

If you happen to know of other download sites for great fonts, please share them in the comments! I'd love to check them out!!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Inspirations of Spring

Just like the world opening up around me, I'm itching to create, create, create! Spring is here in southern California and my desire to get cozy in my cave has turned into the desire to be outside with my camera and look at all that is coming alive! I have a zillion photographs of every kind of flower and sign of spring in my folders on my computer, but I can't stop myself! I need to take more! So...I've been experimenting with new ways to share these photos that look a little different than my other shots. These are a few examples of new filters and effects I've been playing with. I'm not sure if I'll be doing more with these than sharing them here on my blog and on Facebook, but any feedback is welcome and I appreciate your taking a look!







Visit Made by SwirlyGirl for cards and photo art!


Tuesday, March 23, 2010

New on RedBubble

I have just listed four of my new photographs that I've turned into digital paintings--(soon to be added to my Plein Air series on Etsy)--in my RedBubble shop! I love the way they look in the matted and framed previews as well as the other options. If you haven't explored RedBubble yet, take a peek--they allow you to preview all the images in the various forms they are offered!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Proof of Spring

Usually, my Monday blog posts are Etsy items that demonstrate a mood that I've chosen for the day, but today I'm stepping outside of my self-created box. I know parts of our country have been deluged with snow and rain, but here in Southern California, we have definitely begun our spring. Every where we look there are flowers in bloom, new leaves on trees, and green grass! Below are a few photos I took yesterday afternoon in our front yard.


If spring feels a long way off where you live, I hope that my photos have given you a lift! It will return---no matter how long winter seems to drag on! And for those of you down under who are beginning your Autumn, well...Spring is a little farther away for you---but it'll be here before you know it!




Friday, March 19, 2010

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Wednesday Spotlight

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

New Storefront for Made by SwirlyGirl


Several months ago I opened up an account with Zibbet and put one item in my new shop, just to be able to say I was there and give me motivation to do more with it. Then the holidays came upon us, then the new year and catching up with other things I'd let go over the holidays...



If you don't know about Zibbet, (short for "exhibit"), which is still in the Beta stages, it is an online shop venue where fine art, handmade items, supplies, and vintage items can be bought and sold. With about 1600 sellers as I write this blog post, the Zibbet marketer is not as buried in each category as they may be in Etsy or other venues. At Zibbet, there are free accounts for sellers, with limited listings in each shop (25) and less freedom in creating the shop front, but no fees for listing or selling.



There are also premium accounts, which for a short time will be $7.00 per month (and then it will go up to $14.00), and allows you a lot of creative control of your shop front, unlimited listings, no fee upon sales, and you can add links, videos, and widgets to your page to all of your other venues! So, someone who likes your work, but doesn't find exactly the right item in your Zibbet shop can jump over to Artfire, Etsy, or 1000 Markets and see if you have something there that is more what they are looking for! Zibbet also has a referral program which can garner you a free premium account for life!

Zibbet has a blog with links to lots of invaluable tips and information, as well as a few different ways to search for items, and one of my favorite features: uploading several photos at one time!

Take a look over there and see if it's a site that you'd like to try! And, if you sign up, I'd be so appreciative if you put in my referral link: http://www.zibbet.com/MadebySwirlyGirl/sell. If you sign up for a Premium Account before they reach 2500 sellers, you will lock in the lower monthly fee for the life of your account.