lock

June 11, 2011 by Kat

My Latest Obsession and the LAST giveaway from Italy!

At first I thought it was a Greek-inspired theme, the capture of door handles and locks. But my latest obsession continued in Scotland. I have a weakness for doors, that is nothing new. Lately that interest has been specifically focused on colorful, old doors with interesting keyholes or locks. This one is from a church in Inverness, and isn’t it cool how you can see the architectural element brought through to the door detail? I also liked how the dustiness reflects the light differently, highlighting the form of the details.

Thank you so much for the many comments on yesterday’s post. It is good to know that being real and true to my heart resonates with other people. I appreciated all of the encouragement and support for my transition back to the US. There is truly a wealth of generosity and positive support to be found here on the internet. I am always surprised when I hear people say that things like blogs, Facebook, twitter, etc. are a waste of time. I guess they can be, but they can also be a source of genuine connection and I love that.

As I start sorting things into piles for my move (what to ship, what to give away, what to take on the flight, etc.), I’ve realized that I have some more things to give away, and time is running short. So today I’m launching my LAST giveaway from Italy. Of course I’ll do more in the future, but this will be your last opportunity to get mail from me in Italy.

I’m giving away four items and there will be four different winners! I have a lens cleaning cloth printed with the mosaics from Ravenna (great for glasses or camera lenses), two sets of note cards from Florence, and a set of 5 random postcards of my images that I happen to have left (time to order more!).

You can have up to three entries:

1. Just leave a comment and say hi!

2. If you are a newsletter subscriber, leave a separate comment. (The newsletter is coming out tomorrow with some sneak peek info on my upcoming classes. Why not subscribe today? The form is on the left sidebar of the blog.)

3. If you follow me anywhere, leave a separate comment. By follow I mean through google, facebook, twitter, networked blogs, or rss feed.

Please leave separate comments for each entry. I’m going to do a random drawing based on the total number of comments, so if you write it all in one comment you will still only have one entry.

You can leave comments through around 9pm PST Monday, June 13. I’ll pick the winners on Tuesday morning when I wake up. Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you if you win – either a link back to a website, email, your name (if I know you personally), something along those lines. If I can’t figure out how to contact you, I’ll just re-draw for your item.

[Update: Giveaway has closed. See Tuesday’s post for the winners!]

Along with this giveaway, I just want to give a public thank you to my husband Patrick, for all his help with these giveaways since I’ve started them. He’s the one that goes to the post office and waits in line to mail them while I’m working my day job. Here in Italy, this can sometimes take hours or even multiple trips to get things mailed. If you’ve ever won anything or received mail from me, he’s had a part in mailing it. If you want to visit his blog and leave a note of thanks, he would love it.

Enjoy your weekend!

May 21, 2011 by Kat

All Locked Up + Swap Update

I am in love with locks lately. I seem to have quite a few from our visit to Greece a few weeks ago. But, seriously, who could resist this color and shape? And those little embossed dots? The square bolts? Could you have resisted?

I’m considering this as one of the images in my next postcard order. We are so, so close to my goal — 195 people are currently signed up for the Liberate Your Art postcard swap! Isn’t that awesome? If we hit my goal 200, I promised that everyone signed up with get a postcard from me in addition to 5 postcards they will receive from other participants. I’m so excited to be this close to the goal, and it’s time for me to think about my postcards too! Especially since I liberated most of my current stock at the Do What You Love retreat last week. Postcards were a great way to give people something a little bit “more” of my art than a business card. Everyone seemed to really like looking through them and choosing their favorite too.

There is still time to help me get the word out or to sign up for the swap yourself! I’m going to close sign up on Saturday, 4 June, so that I can be sure that everyone gets the final details I send to the list in June. Go here for the rest of the details, to get a button for your blog or to sign up.

I’ve added tons of new links to the participant link list this week. That means it’s time to go visiting again. Can you find the artist who paints on rocks? How about an artist who lives in Australia? They are in there, and so, so many more amazing artists. Pick two or three links, go and visit, and leave a note letting them know you stopped by from the postcard swap!

Here are the new links added this week:

Nomadic NotebookWell of CreationsCindyLew’s StudioOm2ArtHysong DesignsThe Weekend Photo WarriorTina’s TreeThe Studio 56Kristen WalkernaperieRosie GreyThis Life through the LensNot Everyone Has FilmSloane Solanto: A Colorful LifeRavenous RaesassyangelacMy Midlife CreativitiesMakieDollTracy Swartz, Whimsical Gourd ArtOne Thousand PaintingsOne Little PromiseAmber Leigh JacobsMarie Z. JohansonThe Queen of CreativityExpressive WorldRandom Thoughts Do or “Di”Lyrical JourneyKaren Koch, Life Needs ArtMy Sweet Prairiedye~ing to be yoursKnottyneedlemy heart artODDImaginationCrafty CreativityJenna Kannas InspirationsGoing a Little CoastalStarry Blue SkyQuilting, Calle and other thingsMatthew and LarissasightspecificStudio MailboxArtimagicaPoetic MappingSimple MansionBy JenPaper BirdMusings of a HennaphileShe Dreams of the SeaThe Little Things…Tangerine Megamaze, surprise & delightlove PEASStraightlinezKristen Laudick Photography
And of course all of the ones from before:How to Feather an Empty Nest Learning as I GoPaloma ChaffinchFiberworksAshley Sisk’s Ramblings and PhotosJenny ShihLife @ RuffHavenkharliebugHere and NowLiving in a Still LifeBastelmaniaDonna Did ItLeft in Front of RightThe Red TinAltered Muse ArtDreams and WhispersMaddy’s Stitching CornerSimply Life PhotographsPointy PixNatasha MayThe Vintage ArtistDigital Experiments by CarolynWJC’s Digital DesignsCreating my Lifeicandyi wanna be me when i grow upGiddy-Up Let’s RideThe Creative IdentityElizabeth GLZJofabi PhotoA New Day, A Different WayA Rural JournalAlchemy of ArteyechaiPicturing the YearSuperdewaHounds in HeavenBleuOiseau PhotographyAquarel RiversThe Wright StuffThe Mrs.Urban Muserdeustchemexicana{Furi Kuri}TravelsA Little Blue Skycarola bARTzSame Day: Thirty Years ApartCamperCottage 960

February 16, 2011 by Kat

Via dell’Amore

Via dell’Amore is a nice little walk along the Mediterranean Sea from the towns of Riomaggiore and Manarola in the Cinque Terre. The story goes that the trail was built between the two towns as the railway was being built in the region, and it became a place for young lovers to meet to get away from the watching eyes of the townspeople. Now it is an enjoyable walkway along the sea, with benches to sit and enjoy the view.

The pathway is lined with love graffiti and covered with locks on every possible surface, including this little nook celebrating the famous walkway. The locks seem to be a tradition in Italy – near any body of water you will find locks hooked to bridge railings with little messages symbolizing the love of a couple. We first noticed this in Florence and have seen it many places in our travels, but no where are there more locks than along Via dell’Amore. They even sell locks if you want to participate in the tradition.

I was tempted to buy a lock for a keepsake but managed to resist and just capture a few images instead. I’m curious though – is the lock tradition something that is only found in Italy or does it happen in other parts of Europe? What are the traditions to celebrate young love in your country?

February 17, 2010 by Kat

Locks of Love

No, I’m not talking about hair! One final “love themed” post for this Valentine’s Day week. You find these locks on bridges, ocean overlooks, anywhere near water. The couples right their names on the lock, lock it to something permanent (railing, lamp post, whatever) and throw the key into the water. It must be quite the European love tradition because we’ve seen them everywhere, once we started noticing them. I had never heard of this or seen this in the US. These are from Florence, on the Ponte Vecchio.

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