Last few weeks I have been very busy. Running your own business is not an easy task….at least it has not been for me. In this small company of mine I wear many hats….trying to do it all and keep your creative juices flowing is a balancing act. Add to it that while many often wishes they could work from home….one must have the ability to put all things on the side and actually work from home. I try to balance this out by working several hours in the morning…..get to my chores and dogs then back to work. …this I have found to be the most difficult challenges of all. A struggle to keep it all going….a schedule. Add to that there will be those times when outside help with certain tasks will have to occur. Then….of course while your busy doing all of these things that must get done…..you are not doing the work that will earn you an income….which of course leads me to say support you local artists

Feeding the creative side of the brain…..now here is the most interesting part of it all…..one must “nurture” their creativity. I must look, see, feel….I must make the time to do those things that truly awaken….inspire me. If I get too bogged down with all of the other aspects of business, which happens often enough….I feel a very slight panic as I sit trying to sketch, paint or even look through my view finder. Imagine the feeling of nothing……the pencil hits paper and all of a sudden I cannot come up with a sketch….I am seeing “nothing” through the viewfinder. Yes, scary indeed that feeling of nothing. So…time to feed the creative side of the brain is so important….in other words….one must take the time to smell the roses so to speak.

So, this morning finds me putting it all on hold. The web site date with which it should be up and running has come and gone….little frustrations here and there and oh my…..I just have no creativity left in me this morning….so…the sun is shinning….cool autumn morning… the dogs and I will go exploring a bit and I have no doubt that I will return feeling a bit more like me.

Clearly I am not the only one that gets this panic feeling of nothing….or am I??????

(more…)

Breed of the month….starting the month of Oct. will be a Golden of course.

Organically Grown…a Golden pup in a field of flowers. Printed on Fine Art Paper, 11×14 $55.00 ($25.00 savings)

Coffee Mug $25.00

Tee Shirt $25.00

Gift Set of All three… 11 x 14 Fine Art Print, Coffee Mug, 100 % white cotton Tee Shirt l & xl save $10.00, $95.00 plus shipping and handling. Order now safely and securely through our Paw Prints Store.

**OK….I received a couple requests “If getting a portrait painted can I too get a gift set of coffee mug and T-Shirt and save 10%”….YES. Extending this to 11/15 for the Holidays As will the gidt set for mug and t-shirt be posted on the store in a day or so .

Yes, it is true….another move. Still with word-press but now our very own space in the vast Internet.

I did my best to bring everything together to make it easy for my dear friends and clients to look around at what we offer, easy to purchase paintings, photography sessions….coming soon our very own forum…..a place for photography students to go….classes can also be given online. I am still working on adding the store and putting together the site, so have any suggestions…..feel free in telling us about them.

In all of the years, all of the dogs that I have shared my life with, never have I had such a lazy pack. Like you and I, our furry friends need daily exercise. I do my best to make sure that this pack gets what they need….each dog has their own fun little games they enjoy playing (even if only for short durations). Gemma….loves to chase the dogs, if forced to….a Frisbee will do but only a couple of throws. She gets bored easily along with the fact she does not like the heat. Niki….LOVES kick ball. Rocky….he will chase a tennis ball….stick….gets bored easily so for all of them they get several play times a day….pretty darn spoiled Now that the cooler weather is here I have started making use of the agility equipment. We will do this several times a week….great exercise for the dog and great team work and training for both you and dog. Niki loves the weave poles, even when she was in her big wheels I had her do some agility….now although still a bit wobbly in the back end we do it and I must say she is the fastest out of the three….yep, the disabled dog does the weaves the best!

It sounds like alot of time and work…nope, just a half an hour to hour throughout the day is all that is needed. Walks are another way to bond and spend some quality time with your furry friends. So….if it has been a while since spending some time with your furry friend….go for a nice walk, take an agility class or obedience class if not yet trained). Their lives are so short….make every second count and keep them as healthy as you can by doing something with your dog on a daily basis. This is my pack after some exercise & fun…

Missie is a wonderful young Havanese pup. These are very bright, fun loving dogs. They are fun to train and so enjoy being with their people….Missie is true to her breed. This is a quick sketch layout….nothing fancy with this sketch…..will lay some color and that is all that will be needed.

Oct. is right around the corner, this months special (good through the 14th of Oct.) is Body Parts $150.00 for one pet, one location photo session (1 hr.) 11×14, 1 8×10 2 5×7’s Luster Paper (each additonal pet is extra) . Makes a Great Holiday Gift!

I get several e-mails a day from individuals inquiring how to capture images of pets. It really is pretty easy….the number one ingredient of course is knowing how to use your camera….photographing during the right time of day…..which usually is morning, late afternoon. Having a squeak toy or two….a few very tasty treats and then hanging out with your favorite furry friend and just having some fun. Pay attention to your lighting….and never be afraid to get down to your pets level. I have been known to crawl around when need be. Make your images fun by trying new and fun things….try not to always place your pet in the center of the image….get close…think body parts….paws, nose, eyes. , tail.