Blarg!

Yup, what a title, huh? But I'm feeling a bit that way. I had posted a while back about thinking about prints and I've been chasing that down a bit here and there. I had a little "cafe-cash" from my old old cafepress accounts, so I bought a mini-poster print of my Kudzu and Honeysuckle from them. The paper quality was really good, and the print was fine, not sure I care for the glossy, and I had to have a couple of ends cut back so there wouldn't be white borders (and that cost me a couple of dollars to have done), and without the discount, yeah, not really affordable as a way for me to have prints made. So, I'm now testing out DeviantArt's print making services, though I'm already unhappy because unless you pay for a pro account, they don't give the original artist any discount off the cost of their own prints. It's $6.99 for you, it's $6.99 for me. That sucks. Trying a test print of my Fantasy Map watercolor painting that I had finished a few weeks back (pictured here). At least I was given the option of a matte finish. So, we'll see, but I seriously doubt I'll use them again.

So, back to the drawing board, and probably just burning a cd

and hitting the city on foot to see the prices of having prints made at various places around town. I don't really want to order 50 or more at a time, and I would like something that isn't just an 8.5 x 11 piece of nice paper. Blah, being picky.

Advice, suggestions, comments, always welcome.

Otherwise, it's finally warm enough out there that I can be outside 24/7 without having to worry about my Reynaud's. Which means I've started looking at craft fairs. Here's hoping I find something that fits Izile's Oddities (so much of my stuff is so small, and being unemployed - again - means I don't really have $150+ to throw down on a gamble, especially when most of my stock, is not only small, but under $20 a piece.) Would love to find other crafters who'd like to split space.)

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Personally, I've been feeling very lost and confused as of late. Just about everything. It's a bit disconcerting. Seems there's so much to fret over in our world today. It's easy to give in to the stress and worry.

Today, I'm featuring shops and items that are doing what they can to help with the Gulf Coast. I grew up in northeastern Mississippi, hours away from the coast, but this isn't just a local

tragedy that will only affect those living in the region. This level of disaster will touch us all personally, if given enough time.

Now, at the top of the list today is Happy Wren. She has a number of original oil paintings of wildlife, and depending on the painting, up to 90% of the sale price goes to charities to help animals in the Gulf. I will point out, just out of caution, that this seller has no feedback and no sales. Considering these paintings can be a few hundred dollars, and the majority of these funds are supposed to be ear-marked for charity, make sure you get your receipts and any paperwork you need to verify the donation.

Next, in the medium price range is Squirrel Bunny, based out of New Orleans, and she is selling this Sterling Silver whale pendant, with the net proceeds going to the

Audubon Society Oiled Animal Rescue.

Also, Yardia, Jane Austen inspired paper products, all the way out in Seattle, WA, is

dedicating a whole section of her etsy shop to the Gulf Coast. 100% of all proceeds from these pieces will go to Oxfam America's Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response Fund. These elegant drawings are a good way if you want to donate through an etsy artist, but don't have a lot of money at your disposal. Items in this section range from $14 to $30.

So, visit these artists, support their work and support the Gulf.