Violet the Hammerhead Giveaway

I'm going to do more giveaways this month than usual....so stay tuned!

This time around I'm giving away a 4x5 painting of a hammerhead shark and fish! It is titled "Violet the Hammerhead" and this painting is part of my "Into the Depths Series."

It's worth $25 and the winner will be selected randomly, as was in the last contest.


Here are the rules:
1) Go to my etsy store: picturesbyleigh.etsy.com

2) View "Out of Line" and tell me what you like most about it in a comment and you're entered!

3) Please leave your email in the comment if I can not contact you through your blog.


Thank you for participating!! and good luck!

Contest End December 7th!

Featured Etsy Store of the Week: Tacos N Eggrolls

Since it's Black Friday, I decided to post a featured shop today instead of yesterday. We're all in the shopping mode, so make sure to check out Tacos N Eggrolls shop!

To the left is her "Chiquita Skull Necklace" for $20! (I love this one) Tacos N Eggrolls make unique jewelry for all ages and at affordable prices $1-$45. You can't go wrong! Her designs really caught my eye, and I'm always on the look for something different.

Tacos N Eggrolls jewelry is affordable, hip, funky, charming, fun, exciting, colorful, bold, and cute. I don't think you should miss this shop! Click here to see more!

Here's a little something from Tacos N Eggrolls:
I started Tacos 'n' Eggrolls back in 2004, but I was making bags, jewelry and clothing with my boyfriend! We did plenty of shows together over three years, but then he got too busy with art school and I was left on my own.

It was then that I decided to keep it simple and concentrate on just jewelry. All of the above was just too much for one person. I sold in plenty of boutiques, but never thought to use the Etsy account I activated years ago. About two months ago I thought I'd give Etsy a Go and it has been really successful so far!

I never know how my jewelry will be received. I have a very unique sense of style when it comes to jewelry making. My favorite thing in the world is to play with colors, textures and shapes and mix them all about until something beautiful emerges. I've been told by many friends that I definitely march to the beat of my own drum and I guess after being on Etsy, there's a lot of other people out there marching right along with me. I really love creating jewelry to make statements and give people something to get excited about! I have fun and like to make people aware of it.

Fine Art Postcard WINNER

We have a winner!

Congrats Digital Misfit! You are now the proud owner of two sets of fine art postcards, featuring 5 of my dancer paintings.

If you're not a winner, you can still "win". Just mention you participated in the postcard contest and receive 20% off your next purchase in my shop. PicturesByLeigh.etsy.com

And just so everyone knows, I used random.org to pick the winner. I gave everyone a number and Digital Misfit's number was the pick! Here's where I got the idea http://plainjanemom.com/2007/07/04/how-i-choose-winners-in-online-random-drawing-contests/ So if anyone else runs a contest I recommend using this! :) Til next time. - Leigh

Jack Canfield's wise words

I receive a weekly email from Jack Canfield's Coaching an I thought I would share this week's...well only part of it. It's kind of long but quick read. Enjoy. :)

by Jack Canfield
An excerpt from Jack Canfield's KEY to Living the Law of Attraction

The best attitude you can possibly aspire to express year-round is one of gratitude and appreciation.

Being truly grateful for what is already present in your life will automatically and effortlessly attract more good into your life.

Make a conscious decision to appreciate and acknowledge all that you have already been blessed with. These emotions are of the highest vibrational frequency, and through the Law of Attraction they will attract even more to be thankful for.

Try to be grateful for even the difficult and challenging situations that arise in your life.

It is often through these situations, that we experience the most profound growth. You can learn to view each apparent obstacle as an opportunity to develop a new quality, strength, skill, insight or wisdom and be grateful for the lessons. Each challenge is an opportunity for growth and expansion.

Rise to these occasions, and appreciate all that you are learning in the process. Keeping your attitude positive and appreciative through these times will not only help to avoid attracting more of these difficult situations into your life ─ it will also create a field of positive energy that will attract more of what you do want.

"Of all the attitudes we can acquire, surely
the attitude of gratitude is the most important,
and by far the most life-changing."
- Zig Ziglar

Guess What?

I've decided rather than JUST doing giveaways with other bloggers...
I'm going to be doing giveaways on my site, mainly my stuff to start with, unless I get some volunteers!

This time around...I'm going to be giving away 2 sets of my postcards to ONE lucky winner, valued at $10. Pictured Here:


The rules:
1) You must visit my Etsy Store and find a secret word.
2) Sign up for Etsy! It's free. Tell them you know me. (PicturesByLeigh)
3) Comment on this blog entry with the 1st word you think of when you see the secret work, but make sure it is not the secret word. (Word Association. It'll be interesting to see what everyone thinks!)
4) If you don't have blogger, convo me on Etsy with your contact info
5) You're Entered! Good Luck.....

Contest ends in 1 week. 11/25/08. Start Here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16882021

My Monday = Sunday

Since I've been working from home, Mondays feel like Sundays. They seem to be one of my most productive days at home. Today, I rearranged the back basement. It's full of boxes with office stuff in them, clothes still in trash bags, empty boxes from art being shipped to us, and a lot of other random things.

It took me 2 and 1/2 hours. I sorted, rearranged, and threw out objects and papers that weren't needed. It feels good and the back basement has never felt so large haha. I also sketched out some patterns for my newest work. I'm still sticking with into the depths as PART of the painting but I'm going to start incorporating patterns, like I just said. Or it could be inspiration from a doodle. I doodle when I'm on the phone, at church, or anytime I have a piece of paper in my hands. Along with a pen of course.

Don't worry, I'm still listening when I doodle. It actually helps me think! Here's some doodles from tonight.
Now it's time to finish up the mess I made in the other room from organizing. haha. and cook dinner....

Featured Seller of the Week - Canoo!

This week is Canoo. There's been an "influx" of scary monsters popping up, but I think Canoo has mastered this art. This shop makes scary BUT CUTE little monsters at affordable prices ranging from $7 for magnets and $35 for the larger scary cutenesses.

Check this one out! And they re-purpose sweaters to make these little monsters. What a great idea! What a great gift for a little kid :)

Here's a little something from Canoo: I want you to love monsters! and I also want to make good use of cast-off, unwanted, perfectly good materials! It helps me keep my costs down, and it saves a little bit of stuff from winding up in a landfill. protect the environment - reduce, reuse, recycle, reinvent!

iIm happy to consider custom orders, including making monsters out of your own cast-off sweaters. please allow at least 2 weeks for completion. Free hand-drawn gift cards or monster story cards on request!


Lastly, here's my favorite in the shop. To see "Guy Hollerin" Click here


Til next time! - Leigh

Pushing Through

So it's been about 2 months since I last painted, until this past Monday Night. I had a lot going on, and that's kind of an excuse but not totally. I wasn't thinking about art, I wasn't sketching at all, and when I was doing something artsy it was more with photos.

Of course photography is art, but both are very different and I have a hard time focusing on both. It's one or the other. So, talking to Jonathan he said just do something. So I did. and I'm overall happy with what I did....There's still a lot painting to be done, and series to be thought of but it's a step in the right direction.

I'm still incorporating my "Into the Depths" series. But also doing a little experimental things also. You'll see soon! BUT for now here's one of my new pieces I finished tonight.

Chocolate

So Jonathan and I went food shopping today. Trader Joe's. Cool food store, everything is "healthy", there's always a long line, so we might not have seen the chocolate waiting to be bought in the impulsive shopper section.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting anyone down, we bought cranberry apple butter in that section today. The other week it was sesame sticks. YUM. Anyway, back to the point.

Jonathan pointed to chocolate and said, "Isn't that the chocolate you bought all the way over in Switzerland?" To my amazement/shock it was! I said "Oh man! It is.....and I paid a lot more than a $1.79 for it. Are you sure it's only a $1.79?" So...needless to say I should have bought chocolate that wasn't "pre-packaged" in Switzerland. I can buy it 10 minutes from my house!!

Lesson Learned.

Featured Seller of the Week

This week's featured seller is Heidi's Jewelry Designs. (I'm a day late!! Better late than never, but my apologies). I came across Heidi's Jewelry Designs while in the forums of Etsy.

There's a lot of jewelry makers on Etsy, but for some reason or another her store stood out to me. Here's one of my favorite designs. Colorful brown and amber glass bicone beads are on each side of a large leopard print glass bead in this gorgeous bracelet. I really like this type of hook too. And luckily for you, I just saw that they're at a reduced rate. :) Click here to go directly to the bracelet.

Heidi says: I want everyone to treat themselves or their loved one as a princess, that special person who deserves to be pampered. Home made jewelry can do just that! So please treat yourself to what you deserve :)

Til Next Time - Leigh

Creativity....block

I almost feel like I've had a creativity block. Between the gallery, openings, re-doing the gallery every month, sanding, painting walls, moving, and traveling...I have not had anytime to really think about painting.

I think this week I'm going to get moving on some new stuff. There's a few commissions I need to get done. And then on to small small canvases. 2.5"x3.5". Just thinking about it is getting me excited and that's what I need. I've been in a little funk with art. Hopefully soon, there won't be a funk and the days that I'm not working are the days that I'll be painting.

I also need to get together a schedule for myself. Living in Philly, and working from home have both gave my schedule a "shock". There's a newsletter I get from a business Coach, Phil Humbert. Every Sunday, which is a good day cause it's a day I can sit down and read an article, he sends out and article or two on business and keeping in line etc etc. This week was on a schedule! Perfect timing. He said to get into a normal routine, plan your day, plan what HAS to get done and you'll be more productive. That's what we all want, so why wouldn't you do that?

I'm going to start planning my day today, Monday. Maybe plan a day ahead, I'm not sure yet. Wish me luck. Believe it or not, the more organized I am, the more creative I am. It's like nothing else is clogging up my neurons and they trigger differently. So, today is organizing day. Then tomorrow and beyond is creative day! :)

Creatively Yours, Leigh

Winner?

I have Google Alerts tell me when someone uses my name or PicturesByLeigh and so on. If you don't use it, I recommend it. Whatever the case, I just got one telling me that I was on a blog.

Someone from Etsy nominated me, AbbieRoad Designs, to be in a contest for Jersey Shore photos. I got 2nd place. Funny...this all happened while I was away. So this is thank you to both!

Here's the blog: http://etsynj.com/2008/10/19/shore-to-please-theme-winners/