Of Scarlet, Tangerine, and Gold

Ah, October.

It seems as if autumn has rather snuck up behind me. In previous years I've always gone out with a camera to capture the feel of the season, but I don't think I've done much of that yet this year.

And This is Why...

I know, I know. No posts for weeks, and none with good content when there are. I apologize for this lack of updates; for the past month I have not had any free time whatsoever, unless you count a few hours of sleep here and there- so I've made nothing new, and there is little to say about the little I've done. Exhaustion would be an appropiate adjective here. Once these few hectic months are over, I'll be back with some substance.

This is what has been eating up my time:

Top to bottom: endless homework; sectionals at marching band; college applications.

Free Shipping!

Because who doesn't love free shipping? I'm offering an end-of-summer savings in my Etsy shop- buying any two or more items together equals free shipping for your whole order! Cool, eh?

It lasts only as long as summer though; free shipping is good until September 21.

I've added some new and old prints. Look out for more to come.

Still Alive and Kicking

Despite the lack of new posts recently, I'm still hovering around here. There are some things I'd like to put up on this blog, but you won't be seeing anything until I: a) get some pictures taken, b) get something interesting done, or c) actually have time to do A or B.


EDIT: It looks like the first of the autumn foliage is here at last. That means many things, the start of term not the least. It hasn't yet begun, of course, but I'm already mired up to my head in my schedule- not a particularly accomodating schedule at that.

Okay, folks. Sorry, but I'm out.

Into the Dark

Who can resist a labyrinth of low twisting passageways that open into cathedral-like spaces, stone draperies, underground waterfalls rushing away into the dark, and seemingly bottomless shafts?

I can offer no tales of international travels this year either, I'm afraid, but for the past several days I have with family visited the Mammoth Caves area, not just the national park but also other cave systems. My friend also has a snippet about Mammoth in her blog, here.

After taking all the typical touristy walking tours, I can ensure you that the novelty wears off after the third or fourth time. Then there is the following around slow-moving packs of fellow tourists and the listening to repetitive explanations about formations. Usually half the information offered is well-enough known to the general public. The depth of the explanations given by tour guides also seems to be inversely proportional to the number of people present. It is therefore quite worth a drive out to see lesser known caves.

Obtaining good photographic results in these low-light areas takes additional effort. Moving with a group makes anything but snapshots impossible, and minimal time to adjust camera settings. Without a tripod, shutter speeds need to be faster, but that also cuts out much of whatever light is available. I did not end up with very many decent shots. Eventually I had to resort to using flash, which I generally avoid for its ugly, flat white balance.

All a well-spent few days, nonetheless.

First Sale (and Other Things)

It's been only a little over a month since I've set up shop, and today-well, not anymore; yesterday- I made my first sale on Etsy! If that in itself isn't enough, it was an international customer. That simply made my day (I was bouncing off the walls for an hour). Thanks so much!

In similar news, I'm considering putting up a couple of new prints in my shop in the next few days. Color, anyone? Let me know what you think of the above, for instance.

Blueberries...

We went blueberry-picking today, and, delicious though they be, I must admit that I cannot stomach any more blueberries today. Pick-it-yourself farms are a spectacular alternative to buying them in a supermarket. The fruit you get there is not only much fresher and less expensive, but the picking is a rewarding experience in itself. It's also a great way to support local businesses.

Today ended with quite a good haul- I expect the next few days will be spent washing and freezing blueberries. Some fruits, especially berries, keep very well when frozen (fortunate, when buying produce in bulk), and can even be eaten straight out of the freezer.

I ended up with a number of decent photos today as well. If anyone's interested, they might be appearing on my devArt in the near future.

Front Page

Made the front page on Etsy! I never imagined it would happen, not to mention so soon. Thanks to whomever featured my print in his or her treasury.

I didn't manage to find or catch a screenshot, but it's listed.

Share Your Blog

Do you have a blog? I've been looking around for some to read, and combing search engines, compilations, blogging communities, etc. is out of the question- I've done enough of that. Pretty much anything will do. Go on, share yours! I'll be looking forward to reading whatever you write or rant about.

Have You Seen this Artist Yet?

Have you seen this artist yet? Because if you haven't, you are, without question, missing out. Words like exquisite and extraordinary hardly do his illustrations justice. This master of many traditional media produces stunning works in not only watercolor, but inks, graphite, and others, all in his uniquely elegant style. In fact, I should stop talking, as you shouldn't be even spending time reading this- go take a look at his deviantArt now.