Patty's Stamping Spot

Flower Photo Cards for Sale!

Several of you have asked if I would sell my flower photos.  I have been selling them as greeting cards for several years.  I am now offering them for sale here in sets of 10 greeting cards!

The set of 10 Greeting cards will feature an assortment of my original flower photography, professionally printed and mounted on Stampin' Up! white greeting cards (finished size: 4-1/4"x5-1/2").  The set includes the 10 flower photo cards and 10 white Stampin' Up! envelopes.  Approximately 1/2 of the assortment will feature printed greetings (Thank You, Birthday, Sympathy, Wonderful Day) and the other cards will feature a flower photo without a greeting.   

Here is a sampling of what your assortment will look like (you can click to view larger):

All photos are mounted on folded white note cards (see description above).

Photos may vary but will include most, if not all, of the above photos.

U.S. orders only.  Delivery time, approx. 2-1/2 weeks from date of payment.  Paypal orders only. Assortment of 10 cards and envelopes is $20, plus shipping (shipped in a hard cardboard envelope, First Class U.S. mail with Delivery Confirmation).

Photography Contest

My friend Joy urged me to enter a photography contest where the topic was "Anything Blooming".  I had a hard time narrowing down my favorites... I ended up submitting the top 3 shown here, but the others are favorites of mine as well.  Enjoy!

Have a great Sunday!

 

Fabulous Flowers from my Garden

A quick "garden share".... don't you LOVE my Double Delight rose??  It's blooming with gusto and I just loved this particular blossom!!

  

And here is "this weeks bouquet" in my new vase from Mindy.  Thanks, Mindy!

 

"What camera do you use?"

That is the question I get asked the most... {"What Camera do you use?").  I thought I'd post an answer as well as give a few basic photo tips here, because I know many of you have commented that you love my flower photos and assume I have some big fancy camera... NOT. :)  (I wish).

Here is what I own... a simple 12.1 megapixel Sony Cybershot point n shoot that looks like this one:

More info on the Sony site HERE.  I've only had this particular one since late March, but it's already been discontinued and replaced with a better version... a 13.6 megapixel version!! 

Anyway... my point is.. you don't NEED a fancy DSLR camera to take good photos.  I'd LOVE to own the new Sony Alpha DLSR with live view screen.. but alas.. it's not in the budget. Maybe someday when the $12,000 plumbing bill is history! (ack!)

A few tips for taking better photos with your point n shoot camera:

1. know your camera settings... read your manual (I know... gag, huh?)
2. read about your MACRO setting - use it for all close up photos.. that includes photos of cards you are going to email, post to the web, etc. (be sure to turn the macro setting OFF when taking other general photos)
3. play with the portrait setting.. this is fun to get different depth of field results
4. know your flash settings and play with them - but use natural light whenever possible
5. finally.. take LOTS of photos.. don't assume that your first and only shot will be great.  I take about 3 to 4 shots of everything and pick the best one.

The macro setting is usually designated by a little tulip flower like this:

Make sure you have this setting "on" when taking any close ups. Turn it off for other general photo taking.

If you want more tips, simply google "photo tips" and you'll find more sites and tips than you have time to read!

I hope these tips have helped.  While I'd love to be able to help any of you individually, I regret to say I don't have time to reply to everyone who may have a question about their camera, but feel free to leave a comment and if there are other genereal issues I might be able to help with, I'll post the Q & A to my blog later.

thanks!

Happy Birthday, Shannon & Jenny!

Today two of my friends are celebrating their birthdays!!  Happy Birthday, Shannon and Jenny! 

I really enjoy making cards using my garden photos and Stampin' Up! cardstock, and here is one of my photos mounted on one of our Wild Wasabi Long Notes (pg 167), and embellished with a rub-on from Sale A Bration.  I made up a bunch of photo cards and added greetings to the photos using Adobe Photoshop! Fun Fun ! 

 

EDITED to ADD 5/13/08 8am:  I was asked what paper I use to print out my photos, and I thought this was a great question and something that might benefit others.  I do have a photo printer, but the cost of the ink and paper seems really expensive to me, so I don't use it.   I upload all my digital pix to www.walmart.com and order my prints on line.  You can have them shipped to you or you can pick them up in the store.  I pick them up in an hour.. soooo convenient! 

Happy Mother's Day!

Sending out my warmest wishes to every mom out there... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! 

Here are a few roses from my garden to wish all you moms a GREAT DAY !

Lovin' my roses!

I couldn't resist more photos in my garden... this time of year you will find me out there every day with my camera and gardening tools! 

Above and Below: I love my George Burns rosebush!

Below.. I love how the sunlight was hitting this rose:

This is one of the 3 areas I have planted my roses in.. my garden is small, but it's blooming abundantly this year!

That's all for today folks... stamp class tonight and tomorrow night.. photos coming soon!

Roses Roses everywhere!

We were having quite a wind storm here yesterday afternoon and I was worried that I'd be left with bare stems and no roses by the time it stoped blowing... so I ran out to my garden with both my camera and my garden snips... I took some photos and then cut a big bouquet to bring inside! Yay! I love the spring!

and here is yesterday's haul to the Post Office... back to stamping tomorrow! :)

Roses - by the morning light..

I thought I'd try something different.. taking photos EARLY in the morning with the subtle morning light.  It gives everything a soft blue-ish tint... I realize I could have "Photoshoped" these photos to brighten them up, but I liked the look.   I have DOZENS of roses just ready to bloooooooooom all over the place...  yahoo! 

Below:  Peace Rose

Below:  George Burns rose

Below: unknown, but I think it might be a Double Delight

 

Cruise - NYC

Well, no, we didn't cruise TO NYC, but we flew there before our Stampin' Up! cruise to Bermuda.  The Cruise ship left out of NYC, so we spent a day and a half+ in NYC before the Cruise. It was awesome and made it like 2 vacations in one!

Here are some sights from our "pre cruise" days in NYC:

Times Square:

and the M&M store at Times Square.. what a hoot! 

View from our Hotel room:

We took a carriage ride in Central Park:

I LOVED the architectural detail on this building:

More from NY next time....

Bermuda Cruise - dinners, food, fun, friends

The title says it all... dinners, food, fun, friends.... the best parts of the annual Stampin' Up! Cruise!  This year we had a great time dining each night with the McClurgs and Wakelands (Janice & Paul... we MISSED YOU!).

Here are a few photos of our wonderful dinner experiences.

Yummmmmmm the best shrimp cocktail around!

Surf & Turf night:

Dining in the Pinnacle Grill one night:

"OK, wait.. are you serious... no McNuggets on the menu??"

LOL - Just kidding!

Janice.. I had to have an "umbrella drink" for you...

and Eric had a "non" umbrella drink for you..

and just for laughs.. we got a kick out of this "Charlie Brown Tree" sticking out of Jim's potato! What's up with that?

and to leave you on a "yummy note"....

Bermuda Cruise - Fantasy Caves

While in Bermuda in 2002, we visited the Crystal Caves, which were wonderful! So this time, we decided to visit the neighboring Fantasy Caves.  They are really so very interesting, and beautiful inside.  They are 88 steps down to sea level under this piece of property.  (of course, that means 88 steps back up!) 

Here we are before entering the caves:

Here are some of the steep steps descending down to sea level:

Oh ya, did I mention we had to climb the 88 steps back UP?  LOL

Hope you've enjoyed your travelog for today!

Bermuda Cruise - the Unfinished Church

While on our cruise to Bermuda, we ventured to the other end of the island to St. Georges and walked up a little hill to the "Unfinished Church".  It was really a neat place... I could have taken 100 photos in there.  I hope you enjoy these.

L to R: Eric, Jason, Jim and Doug posing on the empty column pedestals.

a little Garden Break

Just a quick peek into the garden this afternoon.. it's a GORGEOUS day here.. I think we even have some "Bermuda Blue" sky here! 

Here's what's bloomin' today...

 

Bermuda Cruise - Fabulous Colors! and some Samples

Shouldn't every morning begin like this??  Coffee and danish delivered to your Verandah??  I think so!! 

I wanted to share some fun SAMPLES with you from the display boards on the cruise, but also wanted to share the gorgeous COLORS of BERMUDA...  and no.. I did not retouch these with photoshop.. the sky really IS this blue!

And now for some fun samples from the cruise:

more tomorrow... stay tuned.. or keep checking back I guess I should say!