And the Winner of the Infused Design Giveaway is.......

Kathy!

Check your email lucky lady :)

What will she choose from Infused Design...maybe this one?

Thinking about what print I'd choose (in addition to the lovely one I already have) 

made me think about how I'd like to display them.

You see, I'm moving to a new house next month, and on my birthday at that!

I have some seriously long, plain white, empty walls to deal with.

Wouldn't this be fun?

Found it here

Or this:

Found it here

I feel....inspired :)

Thank you so much Jon and Katie for sharing your work with us!

Meet the Artists and Giveaway: Katie and Jonathan from Infused Design

It has been TOO long since we gave something away.

Let's do this!

Next up for grabs is an 8x10" Photograph from Infused Design!

One lucky winner will receive the image of their choice.

When Katie asked me which picture I'd like to have sent to me, I honestly couldn't decide. 

I was like a kid in the candy store!

I asked her to surprise me and she sent this:

Buy it here

Gorgeous!

I can't wait to show you more of Katie & Jonathan's amazing images, 

but let's not forget my favorite part: the meet & greet :)

(Seriously, I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this 

until I got to reading the interview = the best part!)

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.

A: We are Infused Design’s founders, Jonathan & Katie Boris of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After hitting it off in March of 2006 while attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh we've been together ever since. Married on May 15, 2010 we live with our Great Dane- Etta & cats Kovu & Kiara.

Jonathan received an Associate of Science in Photography. He is the creative eye behind the camera, capturing amazing shots & stunning photographs from around the world. His travels include Australia, New Zealand, Africa & most recently Costa Rica & Nicaragua for our honeymoon.

Buy it here

I (Katie) received a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. My daily job is retail design but my involvement with Infused Design’s shop includes marketing & managing the business transactions. I love the endless possibilities of creativity, dabbling in photography & some graphic design work on the side.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island with just 3 things, what would they be?

A: Jon- My wife, the best home theatre system in the world with an endless supply of movies & Marisa Miller. ;)

 

Katie- My husband, family photos & an MP3 player for my music/ singing- obsession. :)

Q: Your work is lovely. What inspires you?

A: Jon- Nature! Since I was a kid, I've loved nature in general, but more importantly animals. I've always kept exotic pets like red-eyed tree frogs, chameleons, blue-tongued skinks, etc... and being able to capture them, along with the great outdoors through how I see them, is just amazing. Then being able to pass my vision along to others is a great gift.

 

Katie- Architecture, cityscapes & materials. With my background in Interior Design, my eye is drawn to interesting architecture, textures & details. With a love for architectural history, I love finding landmarks & ornate details to capture.

Buy it here

Q: Tell me about your favorite photograph.

A: Katie- "Lake McKenzie in Fraser Island, Australia" from Jon's trip. With prints of this photo hanging everywhere, I like to pretend I'm sitting on the beach & someday in the near future Jon plans to take me there himself.

 

Jon- "Butterfly in Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, Africa". Although rather uneventful in terms of color, the simplicity of the picture and the way the sunlight catches off the corner of the butterflies wing has always put a smile on my face.

Buy it here

Q: Do you do any other type of crafting or art?

A: Jon has a creative eye for color (as you can see in his photos) & dabbles with Photoshop from time to time.

 

I (Katie) have been drawing since the age of 6 & am currently learning/ practicing watercolor painting. I love to learn new art forms & particularly admire the art of letterpress, which I hope to learn some day. (Me, too!)

 

Q: Why Etsy?

A: When planning our wedding, we came across the wonderful world of Etsy while shopping for invitations. Given our artistic backgrounds, we knew we wanted something slightly non-traditional & being able to work one-on-one with a designer was ideal. After this transaction, I was hooked & began adding favorites, buying gifts, the list goes on! We realized that this would be a great online venue for Infused Design. We tried creating our own website in the past but Etsy was exactly what we needed for traffic.

 

P.S. Cheer Up Cherup was our fabulous wedding invitation designer! http://www.etsy.com/shop/Cheerupcherup

Q: What are your future plans for your shop?

A: In the near future we're hoping to add magnets, mouse pads & other items featuring InfusedDesign's photos. We've also discussed adding some of Katie's graphic design projects such as baby announcements, bridal party gifts, etc.

Buy it here

Q: What are some of your favorite Etsy shops?

A: Modern Typography http://www.etsy.com/shop/ModernTypography (you are TOO cute!)

Cardamom Press http://www.etsy.com/shop/cardamompress (Me, too!)

Papercuts by Joe http://www.etsy.com/shop/papercutsbyjoe

Metal Pressions http://www.etsy.com/shop/MetalPressions

Appetite Home http://www.etsy.com/shop/appetitehome

Q: Would you like to offer my readers an exclusive coupon code?
A: Receive 10% off using code MODTYPBLOG

Great stuff! I seriously enjoyed that, and not just because you mentioned my shop Katie :) When you mentioned you have a Great Dane, I was surprised not to see photos of this amazing creature in your shop! And I can't wait to see what ya'll will come up with next.

Okay readers, are you ready to win a funtastic photo from this talented team? I thought so! Here goes...

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Follow this blog (Mandatory)

and leave a comment here saying you did.

2. "Heart" Infused Design on Etsy

and leave a separate comment here saying you did.

3. "Heart" an item or 7 from Katie & Jonathan's Shop

and leave a separate comment about it.

4. "Like" Infused Design on Facebook

and leave a separate comment here saying you did.

Best of Luck!
Make sure to bookmark my giveaways page if you haven't already, 

and READ THE FINE PRINT

Fine print:

Only 4 entries per household please

Giveaway ends January 30th at midnight PST

Winner will be chosen by random.org

Entries will be validated

Winner will be announced here

Winner will have 3 days to contact me, 

after which a new winner will be chosen

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter
And be a resident of the US or Canada

Meet the Artist and Giveaway: Heather from clementseye

Guess what, I enter giveaways, too! I even win occasionally.

You'll be glad I did this time around because that's how I met my next giveaway sponsor!

Heather is going to send one lucky winner 

the print of their choice from her shop, clementseye!

Here's the one I chose for myself:

Buy it here

Let's get to know Heather a little while admiring her work (and possibly your future wall decor!)

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: I began photography when I received my first camera when I was 10. It was a present for my first trip to Europe with my grandparents. It was a Canon AE-1 Program. A real work horse, I am positive of that because I still shoot with it. I became hooked then. I’m now well, let’s say MORE than 40, living in Charlotte, NC with my husband and two daughters. The one constant in my life, and go to when I was trying to figure things out, was photography.  I’m sure it always will be.

Q: When did you start taking pictures professionally?   
A: I had just gotten married and we moved to Charleston, SC with my husband’s job. I was looking for a job, which was scarce at the time, and stumbled upon the Gibbes Community Art School (unfortunately now a restaurant) in a cool old haunted house. I took a couple of classes in photography and was hooked on the darkroom. It was like therapy. It opened me up creatively to things that can be done with film after a picture has been taken. I was allowed to use the darkroom when there wasn’t a class going on. I started taking portraits and shooting weddings, I eventually had a few fine art shows before we moved.

Buy it here

Q: What type of camera do you currently use?
A: I currently shoot with a Nikon 70D and my first camera, the Canon AE-1. I’m trying to get back to film a bit more so the Canon has been winning out recently.


Q: How do you know when you've taken a great picture, something out of the ordinary?
A: I don’t always, especially if I’m shooting film. BUT I do know when I’ve put my creativity to the test and that is usually when I get a great shot. Not always what I planned out but a great shot none-the-less.

Buy it here

Q: The 2 most common subjects in your photos seem to be children and animals. Is there a connection to your personal life there?
A: Well, I started photographing children after I had my oldest daughter who is almost 9. I adore photographing children, especially if you can get the parents out of the way and just let kids be kids. That’s what I like to capture. As for the animals, I was fortunate enough to take a trip to South Africa a few years ago and that was really it. I was hooked. It was the first time that I really had to be very, very, very patient to get the shot. BUT I always knew when it was going to happen. I didn’t always know what exactly IT was but I could feel it was going to happen if I was just patient.


Q: I really love the ballet pictures. What inspired these photos?
A: I have a couple of ballerinas that live in my house! My daughter was invited to be in a class that would perform in the Nutcracker here in Charlotte. She danced 10 performances in 3 days. I had a lot of down time so I figured that I would test my skills. It’s challenging. It’s much different from the other shooting I’d done. The lighting is harsh and drastic, and then add the constant movement. That was three years ago. I am now the official historian. I not only photograph for my daughter but I also have begun creating custom photobooks for individual dancers. We are attempting to record the history of the dance program. So with all of that, I end up with some pretty amazing subjects to record. I also love Feet and Hands so it’s a win win for me!

Buy it here

Q: Are there any photographs that hold special meaning to you?
A: There are three. Two I took, one I did not. First one is of my grandparents as they left the church that I was married in. They are so happy. It’s a great old black and white. I had my photographer, who shot in all black and white and some infrared, pose one just like it as we left the church. The second, is a photograph of my oldest daughter when mom was reading to her and it’s just their hands and the book. I’m positive it’s going to be the one that she keeps for her children. The third is my second daughter, that was taken at the hospital. She is a day old and sleeping, holding my mom’s finger. She’s so tiny and vulnerable. Now you’ve got me all emotional and I’ll have to force my children to do another photo shoot today. [Reading this got me all emotional, too. Let's change gears!]


Q: What brought you to Etsy?
A: My youngest is going to school this year, actually in 5 days! I will have more time to devote to creating my photography business the way that I feel it deserves. Etsy was the first step for that. I’d had a shop for almost a year and just didn’t do anything with it.


Q: What is the best advice you've received regarding your work or shop?
A: I am definitely my own worst critic. I often feel when I go off on a really really arsty jag shooting that there is not a single person on the planet that will get it and appreciate it. A very successful friend of mine said, “if it gets people thinking then it is an accomplishment. Those are the pieces that stick in people’s minds and keep them up at night thinking about it. Don’t underestimate your client.” So now I approach my shop as if I was creating it for a client JUST like me, it’s going pretty well.

Buy it here

Q: What are your future plans for your work/shop?
A: I have a plan to get a great deal more purposeful with it. A lot of my images lately happen while I’m there for a different reason. So, I plan on it all getting a bit more focused. I’m a gemini so that’s hard to master when you have two opinions on pretty much EVERYTHING.

Q: Is there anything else you'd like us to know about you?
A: I am an artist. I’m not sure exactly where that will take me in the next few years but the joy of making a career at something that I love to do is just too luscious to ignore. I hope everyone gets the chance to figure out what their passion is and go for it. 

Be sure to find Heather on Etsy, her blog, twitter and Facebook and let her know I sent you! 

Are you ready to find out how to win a print of your choice from her shop? I thought so :)

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Follow this blog (Mandatory)

and leave a comment here saying you did.

2. Follow http://clementseye.blogspot.com/ 
and leave a separate comment here saying you did.


3. "Like" clementseye on Facebook
and leave a separate comment here saying you did.


4. "Heart" clementseye on Etsy 

and leave a separate comment here saying you did.

5. Leave a separate comment letting us know

what your favorite image is from Heather's Etsy store and why.

Good luck!


For more great giveaways click Here

Fine Print:
Photograph will be sent as an 8 x 10 or 8 x 12 inch print

Only 5 entries per household please
1 winner will be chosen September 5th at midnight PST
Winner will be chosen by random.org
Entries will be validated
Winner will be announced here
Winner will have 3 days to contact me, 

after which a new winner will be chosen

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter 

Meet the Artist and Giveaway: Natalie from theshabbyphotographer

Please welcome our next special guest & giveaway sponsor...



Q: Tell us a little about yourself. 
A:  Hay everyone ... My name is Natalie and I am the lady behind - The Shabby Photographer - I am 31 year`s old and live in a little seaside town in South Wales called Porthcawl with my partner Nathan of 14 years and our two beautiful girls Kelcy and Kayley ... Oh and our two dog`s Missy and Snoop.



Q: How did you come to be a professional photographer? 
A: Well I bought my first dslr in July 2009. I have always' been a lover of photography but having young children just couldn't afford to get a nice camera. For my 30th birthday my family all chipped in to get me my dslr and from that day on I have been none stop clicking. I am self taught through the internet and now I am lucky enough to have met a professional photographer to help me even more...I don't know if i would call myself a pro...But I do like the sound of it :D


Q: Do you remember the first photo you took? 
A: ooo that`s a tough one .... mmm when I first had my dslr I can remember being soooooo excited and popping it out down by the beach to try it out.  The tide was high and there were loads of surfer`s out and it had just stopped raining ... I remember looking out and seeing a rainbow and started snapping away ... When I got home and looked through the pictures, I had caught a surfer wiping out on a wave and the rainbow above him.  I was so thrilled with the shot! I think I still have it somewhere too :-)

Buy it here

Q: What type of camera do you use? 

A: I use a Nikon D90.  

Q: What do you enjoy about photography? What do you find most challenging? A: I love everything about photography ... I love spending time editing my pictures, I love fine detail and I find photography opens your eyes to things you would normally pass by, Photography freezes that moment in time to enjoy for years, a memory you can look back on and smile at.  I find children most challenging they get board easy and fidget a lot... But i still love it :-)

Buy it here

Q: How do you know when you've taken a really great picture? A: Every picture has the potential to be great ... But sometimes when your out and about shooting you just know that one of your shot`s is that perfect one :-)


Q: Do you have a favorite photo, from your shop or from your personal collection?
A: Um ....  at the moment I am loving my new print :: Dream :: I took the photo a few day`s ago while I was down the beach ... it was in the evening and the sky was a beautiful color and reflecting on the water. I feel the picture has  perfectly caught the light and mood of that evening.


Q: Why did you decide to open a shop on Etsy?
A:  A friend of mine showed Etsy to me and recommended I try it out ... So here I am :-)

Q: What have you learned so far that you'd like to share with other new sellers?
A: Mmm, it`s hard to get noticed ... I find making treasurys every week helps to get more views. You need to Tweet, Facebook, e.t.c as well. I also find that pretty pictures help when listing your items.

Q: What are your future plans for your work?
A: I would love a studio ... I love taking portraits, especially of babies and children. This can be hard to do when there is no room around the house. Living in Wales, we don`t have much nice weather so it`s hard to plan a outdoor shoot.

Buy it here

Q: Just for fun, what's the last thing you bought yourself on Etsy? 

A: The last thing I bought on Etsy was some beautiful resin setting`s from Tomorrowsunknown ... I have been making some jewelry for my shop.  


Q: Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

A: I will be listing my new 2012 calender`s soon so keep a look out, And my new jewelry collection should be ready for late September, all ready for Christmas :-) 

To find out more about Natalie, check out here Etsy shop, Facebook page, and Blog. 

Ready to find out what Natalie is giving away? 

All 3 prints from The Shabby Photographer 
shown in this post!

You are going to LOVE them, I can promise you that! Natalie sent them along with a gorgeous copy of A Pocket Full of Posies for me, so I could have a little preview. Just brilliant...delicate, whimsical & dreamy!

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Follow this blog (Mandatory)

and leave a comment here saying you did.

2. "Heart" The Shabby Photographer on Etsy or an item in the shop
and leave a separate comment here saying you did.

Fine Print:
Only 2 entries per household please
1 winner will be chosen September 2nd at midnight PST
Winner will be chosen by random.org
Entries will be validated
Winner will be announced here
Winner will have 3 days to contact me, 
after which a new winner will be chosen
Must be 18 years of age or older to enter 

Meet the Artist: Jenny from Flanders Field Photography

I am a HUGE fan of great photography. This is why I've been dying to introduce you to Jenny from Flanders Field Photography! She was kind enough to donate this print for the Family Tree Giveaway: 

Buy it here

It is really spectacular, I know some luck winner is going to love it. I know because I've seen it up close, and also because I've been enjoy the print Jenny sent me: 

Buy it here

I first fell for dahlias when a friend of mine brought in a huge, red dinner plate dahlia. Someday I'll grow them, but for now I'm enjoying the magic Jenny captured instead.

Buy it here

Jenny has a gift for capturing the beauty in both the surreal and everyday life.

Buy it here

A great photograph can take you back to a time and place. This one transports me to my Mom's backyard where we celebrated Mother's day a few years back. My children were captivated by bubbles floating through the air that beautiful Sunday afternoon.

A great print can also ignite a desire to do something, as this does me to take a "Sunday drive":

Buy it here

The photographs in Flanders Field will make you see things from a new perspective (more on that, below):

Buy it here

Something I really appreciate in an Etsy store is a variety of ways to enjoy the artwork. Flanders Field offers prints in various sizes as well as cards, pendants and coasters.

Let's get to know the mastermind behind the work:

Q: How did you get started with photography?

A: I took it up as a hobby when my boys were tiny (they are seven and six now). Photography was the thing I  did for me after taking care of other people all day. 

Q: Do you remember the first picture you took?

A: As an adult, the first photography I consider "artistic" was of some cherry blossoms. I took it while on a walk with my husband, parents and infant son on the University of Washington campus. I still have it on display in my office, where no one else can see it! The first picture I took that I'm not embarrassed to list is "Snow Orchard."

Q: Use 3 words to describe your photos/style.

A: Abstract, colorful, detailed

Q: What do you think makes your pictures/style unique?

A: One of my friends once described my photos as "geometric." I have an engineering background, and I think it comes into play when I'm setting up a shot. 

Q: How do you come up with the clever names of your photos?
A: The names for my photos usually pop into my head based on what the image reminds me of. It's harder with some photos than others, though, and I think I'm almost at the end of my vocabulary! Don't tell anyone, but I've actually recycled a couple of names. ;-)

Q: What picture(s) are you most proud of?

A: I'm most proud of the images that I think might make people see the world in a differemt way (or at least take a closer look, like this one.

Q: Who/what inspired you?

A: Some of my influences have been Art Wolfe, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Mother Nature. I'm also inspired by architectural details, but I rarely have time to pull out my camera when I'm in a city environment.

Q: What is the most popular item in your shop?

A: "Wonder" is probably most popular at the moment. Other bestsellers are "Sparklers", "Touch", and "Translucence." "Hello Dolly Pink" is popular as a note card. 

Q: Do you have any advice for new shop owners?

A: I think it's really important to explore Etsy. Click around on the Buy page and experiment with the search so you understand all the ways your items can be found. The Forums and the Storque (Etsy's Blog) are great resources!

Q: Just for fun, what is the last item you bought yourself on Etsy?

A: My last Etsy purchase was a beautiful bag from bayanhippo. 

Be sure to check out Flanders Field on Etsy and Facebook and show Jenny some love :)

Also, don't forget to take advantage of the exclusive coupon code Jenny is offering during the Family Tree Giveaway. Use the code MODERN10 at checkout to receive 10% off your entire purchase!

I feel like taking pictures! (Cut to scene where children are all demanding something from me...) Or, perhaps buying a few...

Thanks Jenny, best of luck with your shop! Hope to have you back again soon.

-Melanie

Thankful Thursdays

I've been thinking about coming up with a regular feature on my blog of this nature. Well, why not start right now! When I got home from work tonight, I was thinking about how thankful I am for so many things. I'm thinkin' every Thursday I'll post a list of Three Things I'm Thankful For. I'd love it if you'd leave a comment doing the same!

1. I am thankful for Thursdays.

Thursdays are usually my last day of work before 3 much needed days off with my family. TGIT! 

2. I am thankful for the wonderful people I've met through Etsy. 

Jessa from littlepearlquilts introduced me to the Etsymom team, which has introduced me to countless individuals. This week I won the Christmas in July EMCA (Etsy Mom Curator Award) for the treasuries I created starring members of the Etsymom team. They've published a blog post about me! In the midst of my daily struggles, these little blessings mean so much to me.

3. I am thankful for God's answer to prayer.

We just found out my sister-in-law is expecting after many earnest prayers. God is good, amen?!

Buy it here

-Melanie