Garden Delights Gala – new arts & crafts!

My yearly gala – Garden Delights Holiday Gift Sale & Art Show, is the first 2 weekends of December this year! The Show is at my art studio on December 7-8 and 14-15, 2019, from 11 am to 5 pm – or by appointment at your convenience.

I’m proud to show my photos and mixed-media artwork & crafts, and also upcycled creations, where I bring fresh life to paper and fabric. Also hand-knits and fabulous felted creations! Fashionable fingerless mitts keep your hands cozy during mild winter weather … …

… NEW! Upcycled bags from sweaters and such …

Fancy knitted washcloths …

… pair with George’s soaps for a great gift …

Please stop by to relax during the holiday rush, enjoy snacks, and chat. Never any pressure to buy, but if you’ve got a list I’ve got a wide range of handmade and original-designed gifts, for yourself and for friends and family – including pets!

More new this year – George’s exquisite handmade 100% natural beeswax candles, including two sizes of tapers, from our honeybees’ wax. Read all about them at my article.

Jewelry, wearable art, purses, cards & prints, boxes, home decor, beeswax candles, and more! Our honeybees bless us with delicious honey, which many people swear helps their pollen allergies.

Want a postcard reminder sent to your mailbox, or would you like to drop by at a time that’s more convenient for you? Email me. Can’t make the show or want to see my artwork online? Click these links:

• Website
• Artfire Gallery
• My blog
• Zazzle shop
• Facebook

Save the Date! Holiday Gift Sale & Art Show

My yearly gala, the Garden Delights Holiday Gift Sale & Art Show, will be the first two weekends of December, so please save the date! If you want a postcard reminder sent to your mailbox email me your address.

The Show is at my art studio on December 1-2 and 8-9, from 11 am to 5 pm (or by appointment).

I’m so proud to show off my new photos, designs, and mixed-media artwork and crafts, and just as excited about my upcycled creations, where I bring fresh life to paper and fabric destined for landfill.

Come see my handmade bracelet cuffs, purses, phone and e-reader holders, all from fabric books and silk neckties; and envelopes and other paper crafts I make from outdated calendars and books. I’ve also been busy assembling kits and supplies for paper and fabric artists and crafters, ideal as a gift for yourself or for anyone who loves to create mixed-media, collage, book, and mail art.

Stop in to relax during the holiday rush, enjoy snacks, and chat. Never any pressure to buy, but if you’ve got a list you’ll find a wide range of handmade and original-designed gifts (for yourself and for friends and family – including pets), at all different prices.

Jewelry, wearable art, purses, cards and prints, boxes, home decor, books, beeswax candles, and more! Our honeybees blessed us with a great harvest of delicious honey, which many people swear help their pollen allergies.

And a new batch of soap – plus Honey Kissed lotion and lip balm, handcrafted by George from our honey and wax!

Can’t make the show or want to see my artwork online? Click these links:

Website

Artfire Gallery

My blog

Zazzle shop

Facebook

Holiday Gift Sale and Art Show 2016

A chill in the air, rain promised — the holidays are coming! My yearly gala, the Garden Delights Arts & Crafts Holiday Gift Sale & Art Show, is the first two weekends of December again this year.

The Show’s at my art studio, 5810 Barrett Ave, El Cerrito (just past Edwards), December 3-4 and 10-11, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (or by appointment on another day – email me).

I’m so proud to show my photos, designs, and mixed-media artwork and crafts, and way excited about my upcycled creations, where I bring fresh life to paper and fabric headed for landfill.

Come see my handmade bracelets, necklaces, purses, phone and e-reader holders, from fabric books and silk neckties; and envelopes and other crafts I make from outdated calendars and books.

I also have DIY kits and supplies, ideal as gifts for you or your artsy-craftsy mixed-media, collage, book, and mail art friends! I’ve added several new ornaments, perfect stocking stuffers or to adorn your own tree.

Stop in to relax during the holiday rush, enjoy snacks, and chat. Never any pressure to buy, but if you’ve got a list you’ll find a wide range of handmade and original-designed gifts (for all – including pets), at great prices.

Also, our local honey (as long as it lasts), some swear by it to help pollen allergies.

And handcrafted wonders by George from our honey and wax — heavenly beeswax candles and luscious batches of Honey Kissed skin lotion and lip balm.

Want a postcard reminder? Send your address to heidirand [at] gmail.com

Or can’t make the show or want to see my work online? Click these links:

Website

Artfire Gallery

My blog

Zazzle shop

New Artwork Photography Class!

My newest class, Taking Great Photos of Your Artwork and Crafts, is live at CratfArtEdu!

I distilled my years of experience photographing and selling my work online into a four-part class packed with information about essential product photography skills, and I take you step by step through the entire process to make professional quality photos of your own creations. 

All you need is a camera, tripod, lighting and image processing program, but as your budget and desire for more sophisticated tools grows, I give you a comprehensive list of equipment and resources.

You can master the skills needed to take great photos of your work. Learn how to prepare for your photo shoot, from choosing a location and lighting, to using props and styling to stage your work so your creativity and artistic brand shine through!

I also show you how to efficiently edit your photos into perfect shape to post online, and finally help you figure out where to sell and market your work online!

I’d love you to check out the free preview of my class.  Regularly priced at $25 for the four-part series, it’s on sale for $19 through Sunday August 21st. Missed the sale? Email me at heidirand@gmail.com, and I’ll send you a link to get the sale price!

Click here to go to my CraftArtEdu main page.

Here’s the wonderful CraftArtEdu promo for the new class, and for my related smartphone photography class.

Speaking of which, here are links to my other CraftArtEdu classes. Each has a free preview:

Taking Great Photos With Your Smartphone

Decorating Wood With Image Transfers

Fabulous Fabric Postcards

Handmade Pet Collars

Inkjet Printing on Fabric

Inkjet Printing on Lutradur

And my free basic classes:

Inkjet Inks: What You Need to Know for Your Artwork and Crafts

Introduction to Lutradur

 

 

 

New Smartphone Photography Class

I’m beaming proud to announce my online class, Taking Great Photos With Your Smartphone, brand spanking new at CratfArtEdu!

As a photographer who started out shooting with film cameras and doing my own darkroom processing and printing, I welcomed the ease, convenience and flexibility of digital SLR cameras and doing my own “lightroom” processing using Photoshop and an inkjet printer.

Now I’ve eagerly leaped into the world of smartphone photography and apps.

After shooting a zillion images and analyzing scads of others’ smartphone photos, I wanted to show people how to overcome some of the limitations of the camera phone and maximize its advantages as compared to traditional cameras. While recognizing the camera phone’s strong points, it’s also important to realize when the small lens can’t measure up, so you don’t get discouraged or blame yourself for the equipment’s shortcomings. For example, you can add a telephoto lens to your phone, but attaching it and holding it steady is a lot harder than with the zoom lens on your SLR. This photo shows the camera phone telephoto lens, dwarfed by my Nikon’s zoom.

But the small lens is directed by a large brain (computer), and many things are made much easier and less expensive with the smartphone, like editing and enhancing your photos without a software program, and quickly posting them to social media.

Have you been disappointed with the photos you’re getting with your camera phone? Want an experienced guide to help you explore and expand your creativity with this versatile new technology that you carry around in your pocket? If so, I’d love you to check out the free preview of my class.  It’s on sale for $15 through Friday February 27th.

Click here to see my CraftArtEdu main page.

There’s a wonderful CraftArtEdu promo for the new class at this link, and it also includes descriptions of my other CraftArtEdu classes! 

Speaking of which, here are links to my other CraftArtEdu classes:

Decorating Wood With Image Transfers

Fabulous Fabric Postcards

Handmade Pet Collars

Inkjet Printing on Fabric

Inkjet Printing on Lutradur

And my free basic classes:

Inkjet Inks: What You Need to Know for Your Artwork and Crafts

Introduction to Lutradur

 

 

 

Holiday Gift Sale and Art Show

UPDATE! I’ve extended the Show for last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers. If you’d like to come by until December 24th, email me at heidirand@gmail.com

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A chill in the air and rain promised, to me that means the holidays are coming! My yearly gala, the Garden Delights Holiday Gift Sale & Art Show, is the first two weekends of December this year, so consider this my ‘save the date’ post. Want a peacock postcard reminder? Send your address to heidirand [at] gmail.com

The Show is at my art studio, 5810 Barrett Ave, El Cerrito (above Edwards Ave) on December 5-6 and 12-13, from 11 am to 5 pm (or by appointment – email me).

I’m so proud to show off my new photos, designs, and mixed-media artwork and crafts, and just as excited about my upcycled creations, where I bring fresh life to paper and fabric destined for landfill.

Come see my handmade bracelet cuffs, purses, phone and e-reader holders, all from fabric books and silk neckties; and envelopes and other paper crafts I make from outdated calendars and books. I’ve also been busy assembling kits and supplies for paper and fabric artists and crafters, ideal as a gift for yourself or for anyone who loves to create mixed-media, collage, book, and mail art.

Stop in to relax during the holiday rush, enjoy snacks, and chat. Never any pressure to buy, but if you’ve got a list you’ll find a wide range of handmade and original-designed gifts (for yourself and for friends and family – including pets), at all different prices.

Jewelry, wearable art, purses, cards and prints, boxes, home decor, books, beeswax candles, and more! Our honeybees blessed us with a great harvest of delicious honey, which many people swear help their pollen allergies.

And new this year! Our Honey Kissed skin lotion and lip balm, handcrafted by George from our honey and wax.

Can’t make the show or want to see my artwork online? Click these links:

Website

Artfire Gallery

My blog

Zazzle shop

Facebook

Muir Woods Towering and Tiny

George and I headed out early on New Year’s Day to ring in 2015 with our traditional New Year’s walk through Muir Woods National Monument. It was clear but very cold, and tourists from countless countries exclaimed in their native languages about the majestic redwood trees.

Unlike them, George and I poked along slowly, heads down to spot a tiny flower in the Lily family, the first native flower to bloom in California in the winter. Its Latin name is Scoliopus bigelovii, also called Slink Pod, Fetid Adders-tongue (for its unpleasant scent), or our preferred name – Brownie. Though armed with the GPS where George keeps careful track of our brownie spottings, by this time we’re familiar with the place where the flowers come close enough to the trail’s edge for us to see them. This year George earned himself a big kiss for finding the first one.

The Brownie’s Latin name means “crooked foot,” because its stalks curve over after the pollinated flowers become too heavy for the slender stalk. The tiny flowers are at most an inch around, and each plant only ranges from 3 to 6 inches tall. Brownies’ leaves are large as compared to the flowers, and are freckled with brown spots.

When our necks were stiff from looking down at the diminutive flowers, we stretched, and began to notice other wonders in the Woods. With the recent rains Redwood Creek was flowing strong. The Ranger said that salmon were spawning downstream beyond the public part of the Park.

George spotted this magnificent mushroom.

I also took some short videos. Click here to see one I shot of the redwood trees. Want to see more of our traditional Muir Woods walks? My blog posts from prior years:

On our New Year’s Eve 2012 walk we saw salmon for the first time!

Rainy New Year’s Eve 2011 walk 

New Year’s Day 2011 walk

Happy New Year to you all!

Top Twelve of 2014

For the last oh-don’t-even-ask-how-many years I’ve created a calendar to give George for Christmas. I design 12 pages of my photos from the year, each with a different category from our lives together, and a “Greatest Hits” cover. My walk down Memory Lane means hours poring through all of the year’s images (more than 3,000 in 2014) to pick out the treasures, which I collage into pages for each month. This is the May page: Bees!

During my journey through 2014, I pulled out 12 of my favorites to show off. First, this closeup photo of a honeybee landing on a fennel flower went onto the calendar’s cover.

I shot this beautiful Great Blue Heron strolling through a field next to the driveway at Ardenwood Farm, our favorite East Bay Park.

I love the colors, and the delicate and intricate swoops of this bromeliad flower (Billbergia nutans) that bloomed in our garden in January.

In February, George worked hard behind the scenes at the Pacific Orchid Exposition. I’m so proud of his accomplishments as current president of the San Francisco Orchid Society!

We found some glorious Calypso Orchids during our hike on Mount Tam in March.

Of the zillion hummingbird photos I took this year, I love the attitude of this Anna’s, and his glorious magenta crown.

George’s Tiger Lilies bloomed in July, just in time for our birthdays!

Speaking of birthdays – we celebrated George’s at the fabulous Oakland Zoo. He wants this lion tattooed over his heart, what do you think?

Of my many 2014 photos of our children, this is my favorite of the furry ones. Daisy is our one-year old sweet and rambunctious young lady, and Lars our wonderful round-faced Russian Blue. It took a while, but they finally get along (well, mostly).

And I can’t leave out my top photo of our feathered children – George cuddling Maureen and Louise while Gloria waits for a space on his lap.

Sadly, we didn’t find many monarch butterflies on Albany Hill for the annual Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count. Several flew around, but we saw no clusters. This one rested on a tree branch. To compare, click here to see my 2011 blog post — a photo near the end of the post shows a large cluster of monarchs in the eucalyptus grove on the Hill.

2014 was a bumper year for Anise Swallowtail butterflies, though. This caterpillar happily munched on the fennel in our garden.

Do you keep a journal, or go through your photos at the end of the year? I’d love to hear about your favorites! Wishing you all sweet memories of 2014, and many more for 2015.

 

Holiday Gifts & Art: Shop Local!

Time is flying, and the holidays will be here before you know it! This year I’m throwing my yearly blast (aka my Holiday Gift Sale & Art Show) the first two weekends of December. You know how busy you’ll be in December, so here’s my early “save the date”. If you want a real-live postcard in your mailbox, just send your address to heidirand [at] gmail.com

After two years away, I’m excited to bring the Show back to my art studio at 5810 Barrett Ave, El Cerrito, just above Edwards Ave, on December 6-7 and 13-14, from 11 am to 5 pm (or by appointment – email me).

I’m so proud to show off my new photos, designs, and mixed-media artwork and crafts, and just as excited about my upcycled creations, where I bring fresh life to paper and fabric destined for landfill. Come check out the bracelet cuffs, purses, phone and e-reader holders I make from fabric books; and the envelopes and other paper crafts I make from outdated calendars and books.

I’ve also been busy assembling kits and supplies for paper and fabric artists and crafters, ideal for anyone who loves to create mixed-media, collage, book, and mail art.

Stop by to enjoy some snacks, catch up and chat. You know me – never any pressure to buy, but if you’ve got a list, I have a wide range of handmade and original-designed gifts (for yourself and for friends and family – including pets), at all different prices, and an overflowing sale bin with great deals while they last.

Jewelry, wearable art, purses, scarves, cards and prints, boxes, home decor, books, soap, beeswax candles, and more! Plus, our honeybees blessed us with a great harvest of absolutely delicious honey this year, and George has made some beautiful hand-dipped beeswax candles, as well as his divine soap.

If you can’t make the show or want to see my artwork online, click these links:

Website

Artfire Gallery

My blog

Zazzle shop

Facebook

Cards Hot Off the Press!

You know that rush of relief when you check things off that have been haunting your to-do list for too long? I am supremely happy that I met one of my biggest goals before the end of 2014. Way back in March I told you that the wonderful sales rep who was selling my greeting cards to stores stopped repping. It took me awhile to scramble back to my feet, to decide to sell my cards on my own, and to master the many moving parts involved in that.

Designing a brochure was a big part of the project, since I can’t go visit each store to show them my cards. I kept it simple (just the facts, ma’am) – a nice large photo of each card, its number, and basic info.

My wonderful local printer, Jayne at Cerrito Printing, made the process easy and affordable, and I think the brochure turned out beautifully! Hummingbird cards take up 3 pages, the largest portion of my line.

Butterfly cards are really popular.

A lot of garden stores order the flower cards, and few can resist the squirrels!

The back page has an enlarged image of my favorite card and more order info. But wait, by the time the brochure was printed I had added another large task to my to-do list – I decided to design eight new cards. When those were all printed (thanks, Cerrito Printing!) I designed an insert page to show them off, and even had room for an order form.

So now I’m well on my way selling my own cards, a lot of work but really fulfilling. If you know of any shops that carry my kinda greeting cards, also garden stores or nurseries, send me an email with the name of the store and I’ll contact them! You can click here to see my entire card line, and here’s a link to the brochure as a pdf.