Monday, 22 April 2013

Expanding yet again!


Like I need another online shop ... (lol) This time, I'm adding to my new Society 6 shop here: http://society6.com/CalicoSkyCreations. My main artistwebsite (http://marilyn-wilson.artistwebsites.com/) and my Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/CalicoSkyCreations) are still active and will remain so - I am just diversifying a little bit more. Society6 is having FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE until Sunday if you're interested in anything there. Please feel free to share. Thanks!
edit: My smaller Zazzle shop is active too. :)

Friday, 12 April 2013

Calico Sky Creations

It's so ironic, isn't it? Here I am with a blog, (a blog! on the Internet!), and yet in person I am such an introvert who doesn't like to talk about myself.  In person, I take a long time to open up to new people (old friends will say I never shut up!). 
Ah well ... I have found one of the benefits of getting older is I am more willing to stretch my boundaries.  Hence this blog, and my photography site, and my Etsy shop, and Zazzle ...
Anyway, I have been working on my 'About' page for my Etsy shop (Calico Sky Creations). I found it really hard to write this, and it will likely change and evolve, but this is what I wrote for now.
Tell me what you think. Is it okay?
I will copy and paste what I wrote here, as well as include the link.  Here's the link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CalicoSkyCreations/about

About CalicoSkyCreations

Calico Sky Creations

I have many interests and hobbies, but among them, my camera and my knitting needles are the main contenders for my spare time. I have a family and a day job, so that spare time is precious to me, to be filled with something I love to do.
About 2 years ago I decided to open a shop here on Etsy, to share, with you, some of my photographs. Since then, this shop has evolved to include not only my photos, but also some of my crafts. Sometimes my son includes some of the photographs and crafts he has created as well. This shop is always evolving and changing.
The name Calico Sky Creations comes from this:
- I have always had a calico cat in my life, I love the Paul McCartney song, Calico Skies, and my son was born at dawn, under 'calico skies'. 
It just seemed to fit.
Remember this shop is always changing, so I hope you come back often to look around.
Enjoy!

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Wordless Wednesday


*On Wednesdays all over the internet, bloggers post a photograph with no words to explain it on their blog. Hence the ‘wordless’ title.*


Photo available at both my sites:
www.etsy.com/shop/CalicoSkyCreations
http://marilyn-wilson.artistwebsites.com


Monday, 8 April 2013

My new camera!

My new camera arrived today! It's a Pentax K-30 in a snazzy Crystal Blue colour, and it has more bells and whistles than my older one. (Which I am still very happy with, by the way).  Funny thing is, though, I am feeling quite disloyal to my beloved Pentax KM, like I am betraying her somehow.  (Yes, I know I said 'her' instead of 'it', but she's been my BFF for quite some time now. I'll probably end up having a heart-to-heart talk with KiMmy, telling her that she's still loved by me, it's just there is room in my heart for another Pentax sibling. (Not that I'm anthromorphizing or anything ...)) But she'll have to share her camera bag and tripods. Oh - and her lenses too, seeing as this new one is quite blind without them. (I bought her 'lens-less', because I have several and they are interchangeable.)

Anyway, here is my new family member ... I mean, camera ...

I have to figure out a name now.  Maybe Penny.  Hmmmm.....

Saturday, 6 April 2013

Does my cat control me?

Does my cat control me?  Does she rule the roost? When she is on my lap, or anyone's lap in this family, do we call the shots? Do we say, as the so-called dominant species, that we make the rules?  That we may have other, supposedly more important things to do than to relax and stay put while she s-t-r-e-c-h-e-s out on our laps and snoozes the time away?
Do we dare to disturb our princess?  Of course we don't!
Perhaps she is showing our busy little family that it is important to take some time out from our activities and carve out some down-time for ourselves. It has become almost a golden rule in our household that when Tia or her other two kitty siblings are sharing our laps, that we don't disturb them unless we absolutely have to. (You know, if the house burns down, or the basement floods or some other minor emergency ...) 
When our son was a baby we did the same thing with him. Now that he's older and busier and doesn't take too kindly to Mom gazing adoringly for hours at his little face, and those tiny fingers and cute little toes, I guess the cats have taken over that duty. 
Time passes so quickly, and lately it seems that our days are filled with so much busy-ness. 
Yes, when my cats lay on my lap for a snooze, I think I am all the better for it if I let them.  I know I feel so much better after I have spent time doing nothing, with them on my lap. A quiet meditation time, with soft furry comfort thrown in. 
And aren't her little white toes cute?

Monday, 1 April 2013

Red Crossbill Finch


The Red Crossbill finch has a peculiar bill which allows it to feed on the seed cones of coniferous trees that are its main food. I came across a flock of them yesterday while photographing wildflowers in a field nearby.


Sunday, 31 March 2013

Hoppy Easter, everyone!



Today, if he were still on this earth, would be the day my Dad would have donned his bunny suit and wandered around town passing out small chocolate Easter eggs to everyone. It used to embarrass me to no end... But now I miss it. So, on my Dad's behalf, I am wishing you all a Hoppy Easter!

Saturday, 30 March 2013

Early Morning Mist photograph


Tendrils of fog cling to the meadow at East Sooke Park, outside of Victoria, B.C. This was taken on our hike this morning. It was a beautiful sunny morning but the fog lingered here in the shade.

Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Wordless Wednesday

*On Wednesdays all over the internet, bloggers post a photograph with no words to explain it on their blog. Hence the ‘wordless’ title*



Relax and enjoy today!

Sunday, 27 January 2013

New Etsy listings


I have been busy working at my Etsy shop.  I carved out some time this past weekend to update my listings and rearrange my items. I think I am finally beginning to get the mix of photographs, cards, and crafts that I have wanted to do, with the shop. I have been slowly working away at this, but it takes time, so I have learned to work at it in bits and pieces. I'm getting there, slowly. 

Here are two new listings I have added.


Gardens of the World card set
https://www.etsy.com/listing/121872222/sale-greeting-card-set-all-occasion

Saturday, 26 January 2013

Something new this way comes


Here are two handy gift sets for the knitters in your life, or perhaps you might want one of these sets yourself.
Pick any one of my in stock stitch marker sets and the accompanying blank notecard, perfect for writing your own sentiments inside, comes along. Envelope included. Available at my Etsy shop.


https://www.etsy.com/listing/121748124/gift-set-stitch-marker-set-blank?ref=v1_other_1



https://www.etsy.com/listing/121741228/gift-set-blank-notecard-greeting-card?ref=v1_other_2

Thursday, 24 January 2013

Sunny Days in Mexico card set


https://www.etsy.com/listing/80672083/sale-cards-greeting-cards-note-cards-set


To remind us all of sunnier days, in this cold winter.  'Sunny Days in Mexico' card set on sale now at my Etsy shop. 

Stay warm!

Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Wordless Wednesday



*On Wednesdays all over the internet, bloggers post a photograph with no words to explain it on their blog. Hence the ‘wordless’ title*

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Monday, 21 January 2013

Enchanted Woods


Enchanted Woods


When my mother was alive and we would go for walks together, she would often point out faces she would see in the objects that we would pass.  Now I find I do the same thing with my son on our walks together. I like to think of this as the three of us going for walks together  - myself, my son, and my Mom, in spirit, walking beside us.

Can you see the face and the shapes in this tree trunk? Feel free to comment - I am interested in what you see.

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Once again, I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. More and more it seems I just turn around and a month has gone by. I have been busy, both in 'real life' and my 'online life'. 

I have rewritten my biography for my site at http://marilyn-wilson.artistwebsites.com/ , with a few modifications for the Etsy shop.

Born and raised in Victoria, B.C., photography has been an interest of mine since my early teen years. In this beautiful area of Canada, surrounded by trees, mountains, and the ocean, I am drawn to photographing the natural and scenic landscapes of Vancouver Island. Lines, shadows, textures, reflections, and architectural details also interest me. Add to this mix the photos I have taken while travelling, plus the animal images I love to take, and I have quite a variety of photographs. I have learned to experiment with different styles and techniques of photography, and I am learning to see the world in different ways. I am rarely without a camera and I can always find something to photograph.
Most of my photos are as unretouched as possible, with little or no post-processing added. I do, however, enjoy playing with the different textures and effects that computer software programs can provide. I can spend many happy hours lost in creativity this way, changing this effect, and tweaking that texture, until the original photograph has evolved into something more.
I enjoy photography, and I hope this enjoyment of my hobby is conveyed to you through my images.
Thank you for taking the time to read about me and to visit my site.
As this site is continually growing and changing, please come back again.