Handmade iphone Photography Photo Art Boxes

I tend to get bored easily.  I am not one of the many people that can grab a book and sit on a beach and read all day.  I am excited to report that I have read two more books from beginning to end to complete my, "5 books from start to finish" goal this year.

Another goal of mine that wasn't on the list was to put together art boxes from the photographs I've been taking with my iphone on this journey.  I am happy to say that I completed this goal.  Sometimes I get ideas in my head that I have to follow through and complete before I obsess too much about them.  This project was one of those ideas.

Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE to take photographs with the other cameras I have and will continue to upload portraits, events and landscapes to my photography site, but there is something about the iphone hipstamatic app that I just love.

I had these 4x4 photographs printed on archival paper and I mounted them on 4x4 wood blocks after I hand sanded them and applied primer  with several coats of paint in either black or white.  After I mounted the photograph on the finished block, I then applied several layers of non toxic clear matte finish to give the boxes a nice texture and durability.  I am pleased on how they turned out.

Since these are my first round of boxes, I have them up for sale on etsy in my shop that you can see here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AlisonTravels

Each box is signed on the back and I also put where the photograph was taken.  Many of the photographs are featured in an iphone photography slide show I put together that you can view HERE.

I will continue to write about my travels but wanted to mention what I've been up to.  I look forward to sharing more photographs of my adventures here soon.

The Beauty Of Yosemite

I love traveling to our National parks.  There is something about them that instantly relaxes me.  Just driving up to the gate fills me with excitement with the anticipation of what I'm going to see, especially if I haven't been there before.  This was my first visit to Yosemite and despite the crowds, it is truly a sight to see.  As with every park, there are places you can find to get lost or stay with people if you want to drive around the valley.

Since Max isn't allowed on the trails, I had to stay near the road and even doing so brought me to some amazing views.  One of the best investments I've made was purchasing a National Park Pass.  For $80, you can travel to all parks for a year without paying admission.  If you plan to visit several, it's well worth the price.

I plan to visit as many National Parks as possible this time around and I look forward to seeing many I haven't explored before.  This is the perfect time of year to dust off your tent and equipment, get in the car and take a road trip to see the most beautiful acres of property in this country.

Unique LA Experience

I hate shopping.  I am one of those people who knows what they want when they go to a store, get it and leave as quickly as possible.  Also, I tend to look online for the best deals and prefer to buy online then step foot in a store.  I would rather buy from someone who took the time to make an item themselves, rather than a mass produced item.  Yesterday I attended "Unique LA" in downtown Los Angeles.

It was a gathering of people who dedicate their lives to their passion of making goods by hand.  Everything at the event was made directly from the person standing in the booth.  It was a good time of browsing funky items and chatting with the people who make them.

There was also a photographer taking pictures of a car scene and of course I had to play along.  I decided that cruising in a car with a pet Rooster would be fun.  This is what it would look like if I decided to choose an impala convertable car and a bird to travel with instead of my old suv and Max.  I think Max would be a little bit easier to travel with.

A lot of the items sold at the event can be found on Etsy.  If you are not familiar with the website, I would take a look at the items.  Everything is handmade or vintage but all items are unique.  As a matter of fact, I have an etsy store with some of my photographs that you can purchase if you click HERE. The proceeds will go for a gas budget that will be much needed soon when I get on the road.