If you have a Twitter account, then you might consider following vegetariandeals. Their plan is to share links to “vegetarian coupons, samples, affiliate deals, discounts, and freebies.” So far I see links to samples of Aveda hair product, Luna cookies, and a free Vegetarian Times subscription.

The sister site to vegetariandeals is Groovy Vegetarian. Groovy Vegetarian covers a multitude of veg subjects including vegan clothing, nutrition information, giveaways, etc. The last couple of months, the posting looks like it hasn’t’ been as regular, but there’s a lot of great information in the archives.

Vegan yum*yum has some of the most beautiful food photography that I’ve ever seen. Bright, fresh ingredients, interesting angles, and the recipes taste pretty darn good, as well. Vegan yum*yum was a 2008 winner of VegNews Veg Bloggy Awards.

Image credit: Michelle Smith

Post from: Blisstree

Bloggy Vegetarians

I use photo images in so much of my work that my camera has become my most essential tool, as I shared with you on the Question of the Month post. Even when we went to Italy, I spent a certain amount of time just simply shooting things that would make interesting texture shots. Most of these are less interesting as compositions than they are in terms of how they can be used in the future: backgrounds or elements of a collage, a layer in a digital piece, warped and Photoshopped into something else…

Do you spend time shooting elements for later use too?

Post from: Blisstree

Texture photos

Image: MorgueFile

Although I’m a big advocate of taking your own photos, there are times when it’s not practical, possible, or desirable. I use a lot of antique images in my mixed media work, and I also frequent the free stock photo sites for my food blog, Busy Family Meals. Why not take my own photos for that? Because shooting food is a real art form or else it looks really unappealing My friend Marye shoots beautiful pictures of her own food. I struggle.

So, where do you go for pictures, and what do you do to be allowed to use them? There’s a wonderful introductory article to this topic over on Suite101’s Mixed Media Arts. Katelyn Thomas has written this helpful guide, and I highly recommend using it as a starting point for your own exploration.

Post from: Blisstree

Finding images…

Timaree, who writes Freebirdsings sent me pictures of this adorable photo journal that she made after she read a post on making them. Here’s what she said about it:

The one with the blue girl is me so that half of the book is plain paper for artwork. Flip it over and upside down and you have my daughter with ruled paper for writing. The other books were made for practice out of the scraps I cut for the first book. I just used extra clothespins to hold it closed while letting the glue dry instead of the extra books as the video showed. They were really fun to make and simple enough that I will teach my granddaughters to make them. Now I will see how they hold up to use. Oh, the cover for the smallest book are paint color samples cut down to fit.

Post from: Blisstree

Look at this adorable photo journal!

It’s another gorgeous issue, but can I confess something? I’m a teensy bit disappointed about how tiny my image was reproduced in the magazine. I know you probably can’t see it on this screen either, but there is a second boater beyond the reeds that didn’t show up at all in the magazine. I expect you to not be able to see it here onscreen with the 72 dpi resolution, but I sent in a file that was 300 dpi and sized to 8 x 10. I know that the horizontal format couldn’t be printed that big, but it was shown way smaller than it needed to be.

Oh well. Get over it! OK, what’s next…LOL!!

Post from: Blisstree

Second issue of Life Images is available

You’ve already heard me blabbing about getting two of my photos into Stampington & Company’s new magazine, Life Images. Well, they’ve sent me an extra copy that I’m allowed to give away here on Layers Upon Layers!!

I’m excited, because I think you’ll love this magazine. It combines art photography with storytelling, quotations, poetry, and journaling. It has both black-&-white and full-color shots, and also digitally and manually manipulated ones. It’s a totally beautiful issue, and I’m really proud to be included.

***Free Magazine Alert ***

If you’d like to have a free copy of Life Images, simply leave me a comment below. In one week, I will draw a name out of a hat and send this gorgeous issue to that lucky person!

Post from: Blisstree

Life Images magazine giveaway!!

Post from: Blisstree

Color-touched black and white photos

Life Images will feature the very best of your most artistic, emotionally moving, or expressive photos along with a few of your words. These photos should be of people, places and things important in your life, whether for a fleeting moment or a lifetime. We are interested in your journal entry that would accompany these photos – whether it be a heartfelt short story, expressive comment, or emotional poem. All original or copies of photographs submitted must be clearly identified with the artist’s name, address, email and phone number on each photo. We also require information on the camera make & model, film or digital, altered or unaltered. If altered, please indicate software and techniques used or materials and technique used for manual alteration (i.e. bleaching, etc.) We also ask that your journal entry be attached. If you prefer, you may send the images, copy and photo information electronically to the managing editor Staci Dumoski at sdumoski@stampington.com.

Post from: Blisstree

Call for entries: Life Images

The next deadline is coming up in March, so think about what you might want to submit to this gorgeous publication.

Post from: Blisstree

Another photo chosen for Life Images!

Post from: Blisstree

Photos chosen for “Life Images” magazine