Customized Crafting Supplies on Zazzle

Do you enjoy doing crafts, but sometimes can't find the right materials to fit your project?  Zazzle has a host of different craft supplies that you can customize to fit your needs from materials to ribbons and much more you can find the supplies for that perfect project on  Zazzle.

Peggy's Cove Lighthouse by lighthouseenthusiast
Check out other Peggy's cove lighthouse Fabrics at zazzle.com

I enjoy lighthouses, so I am using photographs of my lighthouses to demonstrate the various Zazzle crafts supplies that can be created.  The item above is a fabric created from my photograph of Peggy's Cove lighthoue in Nova Scotia.

Fabrics

Zazzle carries 7 different types of fabric that are available as swatches, fat quarters or by the yard.  You can create your own design as I did above or choose a design already custom made by one of the many Zazzle artists.

Ribbons

Ribbons can also be made on Zazzle to complement your craft projects.  They come in either grosgrain or satin and are in 1.5 inch and 3 inch widths.  You can buy them in spools of 2, 6 or 10 yards.  These ribbons are great for craft projects, gift wrap and hair bows.  Here is one I created from my Peggy's Cove photo.

Peggy's Cove Lighthouse by lighthouseenthusiast
Check out more Zazzle Ribbon

Stickers

Zazzle has a wide array of different shapes and sizes of stickers that can be used in craft projects.  I once made a sticker of a church to put on bookmarks for a church convention.  Stickers can decorate packages or add a finishing touch to a special card.  Here are some of the stickers I have made on Zazzle.  They are all ones taken from my lighthouse photography.

Ocracoke Lighthouse Sticker by lighthouseenthusiast
Check out other Ocracoke island Stickers at zazzle.com

Round Island Lighthouse Heart Stickers by lighthouseenthusiast
Create my own sticker at zazzle.com

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse Rectangular Sticker by lighthouseenthusiast
See other stickers from Zazzle.

Big Bay Lighthouse Stickers by lighthouseenthusiast
Create your own stickers at zazzle.com

Split Rock Lighthouse in the Fall Square Sticker by lighthouseenthusiast
Look at Split rock lighthouse Stickers online at Zazzle.com

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You Too can be a Lighthouse Keeper

Lighthouses are fun to visit.  They give you a sense of history and romance and are great places to relax and enjoy the views, but did you ever consider what it would be like to be a lighthouse keeper?

With modern technology most lighthouses are a thing of the past and are mainly restored and used for tourists.  There are a still a few working lighthouses around, but even those are automated and do not have a need for a daily lighthouse keeper.

This past week I went on a tour of one lighthouse where you can stay the night and imagine what it would be like to be a lighthouse keeper.  Rose Island lighthouse, pictured above, is on an 18 acre island just off the coast of Newport Rhode Island.  Guests can spend a week or a night and the island can also be rented for weddings and special events.  I was only there for an hour but I think it would be cool to stay in the lighthouse and experience it during the night.  

During past trips I have had the privilege of staying overnight in lighthouses in both Michigan and Minnesota.  I loved being able to climb the towers in the middle of the night and looking out to the ocean.  It was also a great way to capture photographs at all hours of the day and night. The photo below is from Big Bay Lighthouse in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  It is a Bed and Breakfast we stayed in for two nights.

The other lighthouse bed and breakfast we stayed at was in Two Harbors Minnesota.  We just stayed there one night but it was a great experience.   In the early morning I got out of bed and wandered onto the lighthouse grounds to take this photo just before sunrise.

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Showcasing Photos on Zazzle

Using Zazzle to Show your Photos

When I first started getting serious about photography, 8 years ago, I took 100's of photos every time I went out on a photo shoot.  I put some in photo books, but as I improved in my skills I decided to try to sell some of my photos. Zazzle has been a great way to showcase my photos on a wide variety of products. 

Selling on Zazzle

After a short time I found that other people purchased my products on Zazzle and my hobby turned into a small business.   With Zazzle I need only to add my photo to any or all of their products and they will be listed on the Zazzle site for sale.  Zazzle takes care of all of the customer needs like producing and shipping the product and then they send me my portion of the money.  It is a great way to make a small profit without outlaying any funds.  Below are links to my three Zazzle shops.  Stop by to see links to my products on hundreds of different products or go to Zazzle to create your own free products from your photos.

Mbgphoto        Lighthouse Enthusiast       Butterflyblitz

Work of Review This Reviews Authors

Follow the links below to find see some of the Zazzle products that Review This authors have created from their photos.

Animals

Panda Canvas Canvas Prints by Sylvestermous     

   Giraffe in Tanzania Africa by mbgphoto

Abstracts

Colorful Abstract Landscape on Photo Paper by FindingGifts

Flowers

Peach Hibiscus Journals by CrypticArt

Lilacs by the Water Stickers by mbgphoto

Make stickers online at zazzle.com

Lighthouses

Hilton Head Lighthouse Magnet by lighthouseenthusiast
Look at Hilton head lighthouse Magnets online at Zazzle.com

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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National Lighthouse Day

Today, August 7th is National Lighthouse Day in the USA.  In honor of the day I will be posting photographs of lighthouses that I have taken during my trip to the New Jersey coast this past week.

This first lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in the US.  It was first put into operation in 1764. Sandy Hook is found at the tip of the peninsula just across the harbor from New York.  

Very near Sandy Hook high on the hill overlooking the harbor I saw the dual lighthouses of Navesink.  With my long lens I was able to capture this photo.

On the very southern tip of the New Jersey shore we visited the lighthouse at Cape May.  It is a tall lighthouse that is open for visitors to climb.  I took this photo as I walked along the wood walk out to the shore.

One lighthouse I really enjoyed visiting was Hereford Inlet light.  This lighthouse is located on the Jersey shore about 1/2 hour south of Atlantic City.  It has beautiful gardens that surround the lighthouse.  Here a couple of photos of the lighthouse and the gardens.

Atlantic City also has a lighthouse called Absecom.  It was hard to get a good photo because of the fence and the lighting but here is one that I was able to shoot.

In the last 8 years I have traveled all around the US and some of Canada photographing lighthouses, as of yesterday I photographed 101 lighthouses.  It is always an adventure locating the lighthouses and looking for the best angles for photographs.  I hope you enjoy my latest photos.  

If you have a hobby you would like to share I encourage you to write about it .

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Photographing your Vacation

I recently took a course on travel photography and the instructor gave some valuable advice on taking photos when you travel.  He said the first thing you needed to do is to decide on the purpose of your photography.  He suggested three possible goals.

• Document your trip
• Document your destination
• Just take great photos

If you are looking to document your trip than you want to have lots of photos that include you and the people you travel with.  You would document what you are doing and with whom.  This is a very common form of photography for many amateur photographers, some of which only get out their camera out at vacation time. This is a great way to capture those memories to enjoy in the future.

Other people want to really capture the essence of the places they visit.  They will spend a lot of time making sure that they photograph all of the sites in the place they are visiting.

The third group is people who don't care as much about the documentation as they do taking great picks.  Many "Photo Enthusiasts" fall into this group.

Vacation time is a great time to take photographs and with a bit of advance research you can make sure you get some wonderful photos that will meet your photo goals.  Here are some things you should consider.

• Research your destination ahead of time. There are many great books on travel destinations at the library or you can research your location on the internet for lots of great information.  Find out about events or festivals that might be taking place when you are there.  Identify iconic structures that you would like to photograph.  Make sure you understand the weather and are prepared for it.  
• Pack you camera equipment carefully.  Make sure it is all in working order before you leave.  Bring extra batteries and memory cards.
• When you get to your destination talk to people about where you want to visit and places to photograph.  Some good sources of information are hotel lobby clerks, employees of restaurants and shops and cab drivers.  Be sure to check out the brochure racks in the hotels.  If you are driving I have found the the information centers as you enter each state are a great source of information.

Photos on this page are all from a trip I took to Jupiter Florida last March.  They show the three types of photography goals for travel.

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Photographing a Lighthouse at Sunrise

Photographing a lighthouse at sunrise is a challenging but rewarding adventure.  I recently photographed Marblehead Lighthouse on Lake Erie in Ohio.  I wanted to make sure I got just the right shot, so we went to the lighthouse the day before to check out the site.  The lighthouse was open at the time and there were lots of people around, so although it was not an especially good time to get photographs it was a good time for me to explore and consider what vantage point would be best for my sunrise shot.

The next morning I arrived at the lighthouse well before sunrise.  As it turned out I must have looked at the sunrise chart wrong and thought it was at 5 a.m. when it was really 6 a.m..  It was really dark when I arrived but I went ahead and set up my camera to take the photos.  The green light in the tower was blinking every few seconds and gave off an eerie glow in the night sky.  For my first photos I set my camera on the tripod and used the automatic scene setting for nighttime shots.  This set my camera at f3.5 with a speed of 1/5 sec.  Because it was so dark the aperture went to 3200 and gave the photo a rather grainy look as you can see below.  I really do like the effect with the green light on the lighthouse and the pink in the early morning sky.

It was still about a half an hour till sunrise and my camera was set up and ready for the sunrise.  I was able to enjoy the beautiful scene and watch the sky turn colors as the sun was just below the horizon.  What a magnificent sight.  I will never tire of watching the sun rise and marveling at how each one is just a bit different.  As sunrise got closer I took my camera off the automatic setting.  The sunrise photo was taken with the camera at f6.3 at 1/100 sec.  My ISO was set at 100.

As the sun rose above the horizon, I watched as everything took on a different look.  Just as the sun tipped over the horizon an airplane went through the sky leaving behind a contrail in the middle of my photo.  Some may feel the white line is distracting and at first I thought oh no!  As I look at my finished photo, I kind of like that white streak.    What do you think?

After sunrise I walked around the grounds looking at how the newly risen sun was coloring everything.  I love this shot with the fence glowing in the pink bask from early morning sun.  It seems like the whole scene is taking on a pinkish cast.  

It is really fascinating to  photograph a scene at different times of the day.

Checklist for Photographing Sunrises

• If possible, check out your location the day before.
• The night before recheck your equipment and make sure everything is charged and working.
• Practice camera settings in daylight so you aren't fumbling in the dark.  You  might want to bring a small flashlight with you.
• Don't forget your tripod...it is critical for good sunrise photos
• Arrive before sunrise so you have plenty of time to set up and get some of those beautiful presunrise photos.  Some of the best colors are often 30 minutes before sunrise.
• Relax and enjoy the beauty of the moment!

Here is a page I wrote on my adventures of photographing the Marblehead lighthouse.

Visit Marblehead Lighthouse

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