New pastures, new passions

Dear Friends, (those we know and those who are have just discovered us)

SHOP CLOSING
After much consideration Chris and I have decided to close our photography shop--Pfeiffer Photos--on Etsy at the end of August. The sales haven't been coming for some time, and our promotion level has dropped due to pursuits of other projects so it's on to other pastures and passions for now. We're still taking photos--no loss of interest there--and we'll keep sharing them on Flickr so check our our gallery over there and become a contact so we can enjoy your photos, too!

Pfeiffer Photos has been a good adventure for us and we value all the nice people we've met through Etsy and beyond. Our photography has improved much, we've learned a lot about running a small business, and most all of we've made some great friends--on Etsy, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and especially through the Pfeiffer Photos blog.

We're still answering Etsy convos (until end of Aug), and email inquiries (click the icon in the right margin of this blog) so don't hesitate to drop us a note.

CLOSING SHOP SALE: Receive 50% off on select 4x6 prints and cards...visit our sale section in the Etsy Shop for all the details.

Our photo note cards are now available only upon request. Please send us a message with the title of the image and quantity you desire and we'll create a custom listing for you on Etsy through the end of August 09. After that, please view our images and send requests through our Flickr Gallery or via email link on this blog.

FLICKR
Our Flickr Gallery will stay alive after the shop closes as it holds MANY MORE images and almost all of them can be made into prints or cards upon request.

BLOG
The Pfeiffer Photos blog has morphed so much since originally started and has become about so much more than just photography! The blog adventure will continue after our shop is closed. I'm still here...the posts have been fewer just because I'm on a bit of a hiatus to enjoy some summer activities before I start school again in the fall.

MY VINTAGE ADVENTURE
And, last, but not least, please visit my Etsy vintage shop--forrestina vintage--the place where I'm spending more of my energy these days. You can also connect with forrestina vintage on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and via the vintage blog which has turned out to be lots of fun for me to create (and has a nice little following at 87 and counting!)

On a more personal note...

We're heading off for the beach this weekend for some fishing, thrifting and clam chowder with friends. And, yes, we'll be taking our cameras so check the Flickr gallery for new photos soon!

Have a super weekend, my friends!

Image copyright Pfeiffer Photos, 2009.

Etsy: New in shop at forrestina vintage

My Etsy vintage shop--forrestina vintage--was recently included in the lovely treasury up top (my item is the demitasse trio set). We're bubbling right along, and I am listing new items daily. If you're into vintage clothing and accessories, housewares, home decor, art or just random vintage goodness please come by and see what's new in shop!

I'm also blogging about vintage HERE, sharing retro fun on Facebook (be my fan!), and tweeting vintage and more right over HERE.

Artist Profile: Claudine Hellmuth

Tell me a bit about yourself..

I live in Washington DC in the U Street area with my husband Paul and our fur-children, cats Mabel and Stanely. Of course I can never resist posting photos of my babies to my blog, so you're sure to see tons of pet photos there!

I have been creating art as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, my mom would spread paper across the kitchen floor and set me down in my diaper with finger paints and let me just go crazy. When I was in high school I took extensive after school art lessons totaling about 20 hours a week to prepare for art college. I first went to the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus Ohio where they had a very strong foundations program, drawing and painting the figure. After my second year there I transferred and finished my BFA at the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington DC.

After graduation in 1997, I took a short course in web site design from George Washington University on web site design (at the time I had never even used a computer with a mouse). I somehow learned to code web sites by hand-- possibly out of fear that I would never be able to get a job. I moved back to Orlando where I worked for a small web design company. When it closed its doors I signed on at Cox Interactive Media.

Even while I was working at these jobs I was building my art business on the side, hoping it would grow enough that I could make the leap to full time artist. In 2001, after the Internet bubble burst, I was laid off and got my chance to go for it. I have been a full time artist ever since!

Apart from creating art, what do you enjoy?

Reading, napping, snuggling with my pets, and watching movies.

What first made you want to become an artist?

I never had a moment of realization that I wanted to be an artist. I have made things as long as I can remember, always took extra art classes when I was young and when it came time to choose my college it was a given that I would go to an art school. I hope to expand further into illustration and also licensing more of my artwork in the gift industry. I really enjoy illustration because I love the challenge of working with a theme and combining my vision with the needs of the assignment. I would love to animate my artwork, more advanced animation than what I have done for my ecards. I have always wanted to illustrate children's books, so that is a goal that I hope is in my future.

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

Right now my studio is the second bedroom of our apartment. It's a combined studio/office with a computer on one side and all my mess on the other! My process for creating a custom artwork order or an illustration is different from when I am creating artwork for myself. When I am creating something for a client I start with their idea and work my way towards what I think will work. When I am creating artwork for myself I am often inspired by a photo or a phrase so I use that as a jumping off point for the rest of the piece. Except for custom art pieces, I use my own family photos and also my friends family photos. When I run out of those or when they aren't suitable, I "create" my own photo heads by combining 3 or 4 photo images together to "make" my own people. For example, I'll purchase vintage photos from ebay and then combine a nose from one person with eyes of another and a hair style of another person until I arrive at the look I want. This has been a lot of fun and it's very useful because then I can make sure the photo image fits with the context of the artwork.

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?

I am inspired by so many varied artists and sources. Folk artists--I love folk art! I am also inspired by retro 40's and 50's magazines and I love all the domestic ads, they are so funny.

Where else can people find your work?

My web site, my blog, on Twitter, Facebook, and my Etsy shop!

*************************

Claudine is a nationally recognized collage artist, author and illustrator. She combines photos, paint, paper and pen into quirky, whimsical-retro collages that she calls Poppets®. Her artworks have been featured on The Martha Stewart Show, in Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine, The New York Times, on HGTV's "I Want That!", on HGTV's Carol Duvall Show and on the DIY Network's program, "Craft Lab."

In addition to creating her artwork full-time, Claudine teaches collage workshops in the US & Canada, and she has written two books about her techniques, "Collage Discovery Workshop" and "Collage Discovery Workshop: Beyond the Unexpected." She has also produced three instructional DVD workshops and has a line of art supply products produced by Ranger Industries including paints, mediums and brushes.

Claudine Hellmuth Studio Products are for sale online at these locations: Somerset Shoppe, ScrapLovers, Joggles Online, Schmooze with Suze...and many more. Google for complete results.

All images are by and copyright of Claudine Hellmuth, 2009.

Advertise with Pfeiffer Photos!

Since my readership has grown, and my template has been upgraded to include a third column, I have decided to offer ad space on my blog. My hope is to keep things simple--no bidding, no pressure, nothing too technical. Oh, and yes, this will be my only official post ON the blog about the ad space--I just wanted you to be "in the know".

Pfeiffer Photo Blog Stats

300-400 visits per week and growing (204 new - 207 from referral sites)
74% new visitor traffic - 27% returning
66% referral site traffic
Readers from every continent around the globe!*
2.5+ pages viewed per visit (average)
3 minutes per visit (average)
139 Regular Followers and growing!
Google Page Rank: 2 (since 10/08!)

Top referral sites bringing traffic to my blog include: Google Search, Twitter, Etsy, Facebook and Flickr.

FAST FACTS

I promote my blog regularly on Etsy, Twitter, Blip.fm, Facebook and other social network sites and hold ad space on other blogs with high traffic flow.

I promote Etsy artists, shops and items regularly on my blog and support both handmade and vintage sellers!

I am a member of the following groups and networks: Photographers of Etsy aka POE Street Team, POE PDX Street Team, Etsy Sellers Who Blog, CAST Street Team, We Love Etsy Ning, & Etsy Handmade Network

I actively network in the Flickr and Etsy communities and operate shop space on Etsy, ArtFire, Red Bubble and Art Cards Wanted.

Advance Ad Special for Pfeiffer Photos Followers!**

The first 5 advertisers to fill my first 5 spots get the regular package features and if you commit to a 3-month package you'll also receive a 10% discount off the total package price!** I am extending this offer to my blog readers FIRST before advertising my rates or the special anywhere else!

If you're ready to place your ad, need more info or would like to view all my package rates please visit my AD INFO page by clicking any of the sample ads displayed in my left margin.

Questions? Please contact me at the email link in my right margin. Thanks!

*Blog Stats per Google Analytics as of March 4, 2009.

**Blog Reader advance offer valid for followers only--new or existing. Offer valid until midnight on Friday, March 6, 2009 - after that date/time I will post the rate info and special pricing offer on Etsy and my social network sites.

Photos in this post are copyright Pfeiffer Photos 2009 - all rights reserved.

Etsy: Handmadeology

Handmadeology = the science of handmade. Handmadeology is the brainchild of Timothy Adam, a self taught metal artist who makes his living selling handmade goods online.


Adam is also dedicated to helping others achieve their goal of successfully selling their handmade goods through online venues including Etsy, Art Fire, Red Bubble, and others. Over 700 blog followers agree, he has THE blog to read if you've been considering trying social networking tools--Facebook, Twitter, etc--He can help you maximize their potential for your online small business, and he writes in non-tech language so the rest of us can actually understand...nice.

Beginning January 26, 2009, we can all learn more from Timothy at Handmadeology.com.

Follow Handmadeology NOW on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube!

You can also sign up for the FREE newsletter on Timothy's blog for news you can use and updates about Handmadeology!

Items displayed in this post are from Timothy Adam's Etsy shop...visit, shop, enjoy.