Pileated Woodpecker

Windblown

Patient

Pussywillows patiently awaiting the arrival of spring.

Soft

The delicate beauty of a winter pussy willow.

Cold

A little chickadee being blown by a strong wind.

Nuthatch

Isn't he just the cutest little guy? He's taking a good look at me while I snap his picture

From The Back

A gorgeous blue jay turns his back on my camera. ;)

Tragedy In Australia. One Way We Can Help

As I'm sure that everyone is aware, Australia is currently experiencing the worst natural disaster in it's history.

Hundreds of people are dead. Entire towns and communities have been destroyed.

It's destruction on a scale that most of us can't even begin to imagine.

A shop has opened on Etsy.com that is taking donations of items to sell. All proceeds from the sale of these items goes to the Australian Red Cross.

If you have an item you can donate, or if you would like to purchase something to help out, go to OzBushFireAppeal. Contact Emma if you're interested in donating or do some shopping to help out our Australian friends!

Black Capped Chickadee

A little Black Capped Chickadee grabs a quick bite on a snowy day.

I'm Having a Sale!

All prints in my Etsy shop are Buy One Get One Free!!

Just check out as usual with both prints and I will refund the second print of equal or lesser value through Paypal.

Sale runs through to midnight, Sunday February 8.

Painted Sky

The morning sky in all it's wonder.

So Excited!

I am so excited right now. I'm featured in three gorgeous treasuries on Etsy right now.

Check them out!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=37617
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=42096
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=42166

It's so exciting!!

Wistful

A female Downy Woodpecker gazes wistfully at the suet hanging above her head.

Win an 8x10 Photograph Print!

It's that time again! I'm offering one lucky winner a Free 8x10 photograph from my Etsy shop. All you have to do is tell me which photograph you would like and why you would like it. That's it!

Here are your choices:

Dark Eyed Junco
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20140456

Purple Morning
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20113774

Happy Cat
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20118926

Frozen Milkweed
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19391065

The winner will be drawn Sunday February 7, 2009.

Have fun!

Taking Off

A Black Capped Chickadee is just about to take flight off the chain holding a birdfeeder

Dreamy

I have to wonder what this little finch is dreaming of, hanging off a chain, getting covered in snow.

Weekend Sales!

I've decided to a weekly feature on Fridays to promote sales on Etsy and Artfire. I've asked on both forums for shops that are having sales, picked 5 from each venue and am posting them here for you to shop from and enjoy!


Shades Jewelry

30% off your entire purchase, plus free US and Canada shipping. Offer good from 1/30-2/1

Blessed Mommy of 1

25% off the entire store, due to the new CPSIA law

Adorn You

10% off everything in the Valentines Section

All Over Art

FREE SHIPPING on all wearable art orders $40 and under.

FREE SHIPPING and 10% OFF all wearable art orders over $40.

Sale ends Feb 14.

Yarnlovertn

20% off until Feb 10. Convo before purchase to have listing price changed

Happy shopping everyone!!

Winter Tree in Sunrise

A spectacular sunrise glows behind the bare branches of a tree in winter.

Dark Eyed Junco

A gorgeous Dark Eyed Junco sitting just outside my kitchen window. He's been an elusive one! I've been trying to get a photo of him for a very long time.

It's Time To Get Off The Fence, Etsy

It's time to take a stand Etsy. You're running out of time.

On February 10, a law will come into effect in the U.S. forcing anyone who makes anything geared for a child under the age of 12 to test their product for lead content. It's a sweeping law that is too broad and is forcing small business out.

You can read more about the new CPSIA law on the Etsy forums if you're interested. Or go here for more information on the law.

I've yet to see a direct stance from Etsy in support of their sellers. Time after time they come into the forums and say yes, we hear you, yes we support you. But time after time I see those same sellers left to hang in defending actions that are supposedly approved by Etsy Admin.

One example being hypothetical pricing. Basically what some sellers have done is take an item in their shop and list it, with an explanation, at the price it will be after testing is done according to the new regulation. You can see an example of this type of listing here.

These listings have caused all kinds of wailing and gnashing of teeth on the forums. Some are for some are against them.

Admin, in one thread stated that the listings had to be taken down and then just a few pages later said leave them up until we have a meeting.

The meeting was held and apparently the shops were told they could keep said listings up until Jan 30.

No one else was told about this. So, people continue to wail and gnash their teeth, flag the item and so on.

All Etsy had to do was make an announcement that they were supportive of these listings until the time stated. That's it. That would have solved all sorts of heartache for everyone.

But no, they let their sellers hang over the weekend while they enjoyed themselves and worked up a Storque article that not everyone will read.

Seriously, Etsy Admin, it's time to stand up and state your position. Are you for or against it? This is tearing our beloved community apart. The poor sellers are left to fight this battle on their own with no public support from you.

Either you are for or against this Etsy. Which is it? We'd all love to know!

And The Winner Is.....

Glamorosi!!

Congratulations! You will win a free 8x10 print of your choice "Alone".

Thanks to all who voted. As a thank you to everyone who took the time to vote on a winner, I am going to offer you free shipping should you decide to purchase your choice in either my Etsy or my Artfire shops. Just put Giveaway in the message to seller, and I'll refund the difference through Paypal.

If you would like to be kept updated on future giveaways, be sure to sign up for my newsletter using the signup box on the right hand column. You'll also receive special discounts and sales for being a subscriber!

Thanks again and have a wonderful day everyone!

Giveaway #2!

Last week's giveaway was such a grand success, I've decided to host another one this weekend.

Same rules as last time apply. Choose one print listed below and leave a comment telling which one you would like and why. I will choose the winner of a free 8x10 print Monday morning and let you know who it is. Easy!

Here are your choices this week:

Forgotten
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=ViewListing&product_id=60537

Alone
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=ViewListing&product_id=60349

Frozen
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=ViewListing&product_id=63246

Winter Stream
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=ViewListing&product_id=50946

Have fun!

Frozen

A cold night, a frosty morning and a sunrise all worked together to give us a spectacular morning, filled with icy sparkles.

Icy Jewel

A tiny jewel of ice clinging to the branch of an evergreen tree.

And The Winner Is.....

Drumroll please......



The winner of my very first giveaway is......



NiftyKnits!!!!!!



Congratulations NiftyKnits, you have won an 8x10 of Morning Glow! I will have it in the mail for you today.




Thanks so much to all that entered. And thank you very much for all the kind and wonderful words about my photography. Those meant so much to me. ;)



Because of the rousing success of this giveaway, I have decided to do more. I will be having a giveaway every two weeks. If you would like to be kept updated on when the giveaways will be, sign up for the newsletter in the signup box in the right hand column. It's super easy to do and I have special sales for subscribers too!

MNH Photography Giveaway!!

I've decided to have a giveaway for all my loyal blog readers. One lucky reader will win an 8x10 print from the list below!

Here's what you have to do.

Leave a comment here telling me which print you want and why you want it. That's it!

I will draw the winner's name on Monday, January 18, 2009.

Here are your choices:

Bird http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19103278

Stuck http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19643944

Blue Jay http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19179617

Morning Glow http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19100131

Have fun!

I'm Having a SALE!

I'm doing it, I'm having a sale!

All prints in my shop are Buy One Get One Half Off! Just pick the two prints you want, and I'll refund through Paypal.

Don't miss out! This sale is only on until Friday January 16 at 4 pm Eastern!!

(discount is applied to print of equal or lesser value only)

http://MNHPhotography.etsy.com

Featured In Two Treasuries

It's a good day! I just found out that I'm featured in two different Treasuries. The first one is here, created by LindaButterfly. It's a grouping of some of sellers on Etsy who are working together to promote each other. For now, we're the Collaberators, but soon I think we'll be called Cahoots or something similar. Be sure to stop by Linda's shop and see her wonderful items!

The second one is here, created by ArtMind. It comes from a thread in Business Topics, discussing how we like to have our orders shipped and how we like to ship them. Stop by and have a look at ArtMinds shop and the thread too!

Thanks to both of you for featuring my products in your treasuries. It means the world to me!

Stuck

A piece of melting ice stuck between two thorny branches.

I've Been Featured on a Blog!

I love features! I'm always so grateful and honoured that someone would choose my shop to feature on their blog. It's a wonderful feeling!

So, here is the feature on Black Rose's blog.

Be sure to stop by her shop too and check out her amazing items!

Horse

A shot of a horse that came to the fence to visit with me on a walk one day. I haven't decided if I should put this one up in my shop or not.

What A Great Day!

It's only 1:31 pm and I've already had the best day!

My little Etsy shop has been featured twice today! Once in a Storque email and once in Editors Picks!

That has led to over 300 views in my shop so far today, 22 new hearts and 4, yes 4 sales!

I'm having the best day!!!

Downy Woodpecker

Every day this male Downy Woodpecker (affectionately reffered to as "Papa Pecker" here at home) comes to feed at our suet cage.

Off Centre

A gorgeous blue jay sitting pretty on a snowy day.

Frozen Milkweed

The sun came out after a bout of freezing rain. The shine on everything was absolutely glorious! I found this opened milkweed at the back of our property.

>

Huh??

There was a very interesting and extremely informative thread on the Etsy forums in regards to copyright infringement by using trademarked materials such as Disney fabric.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5983185&page=23

Etsy admin has closed that thread under the guise of "calling out".

I'm sorry, but what?

Where else are we supposed to discuss this sort of thing? Isn't that what the Business section of the Etsy forums is supposed to be about?

If we, as sellers, are not allowed to discuss incredibly important issues such as copyright infringement there in case we offend those who are breaking the law, then what's the point? Why should be bother even being interested in what is best for the Etsy community as a whole?

Honestly, I'm very, very disappointed with Etsy right now. Closing that thread was wrong. Just plain wrong.

I've Been Featured on a Blog!

I'm so happy right now!

Thanks so much to GubFactory for such a wonderful feature! You can read it here, if you like. Be sure to stop by her shop and see what adorable items are there!

Reflections

My son and I were out for a walk one day and found this little stream just down the road from us. Neither of us had any idea it was even there. I love finding little treasures like this!

Well, The Holiday's Are Officially Over

The kids go back to school tomorrow, hubby goes back to work. The holidays are now officially over.

Am I happy? Yes, I'll be able to get my routine back. It went straight out the window as soon as everyone was home.

But, I've loved having everyone here. It's so nice.

We're a very close knit family as it is, but having everyone home all the time has just been fantastic. I'll miss them tomorrow.

And I'm not looking forward to getting up at 6 am to get my daughter off to school! ;)

Opinions on my Business Card

I've designed a business card and I would like some opinions on it

What do you think?

Three Stand Alone

My son and I were out for a walk yesterday and I saw these three stalks sticking out of the snow

My First Sale!!

I made my very first sale in MNH Photography today! I'm so excited and honoured that someone liked my photo well enough to actually pay money for it! LOL!

It is a 4x6 print of the Blue Jay in the post right below.

Yay!