Say you are having a year like mine, and major appliances are failing left and right. (I’m sure you remember the self portrait from the time we had no hot water, right?) Let’s further say that you go to the frig to get a cold drink, and it’s…warm. I’m about to tell you something that will help you get fixed right up. No, this isn’t a lesson in frig repair, sorry. It is a lesson on Krillion, though, and that’s almost as good.

So, go to Krillion and type in General Electric Refrigerators (or whatever brand you want), enter your zip code, and automagically, you get a list of stores in your area that have those refrigerators, and the sellng price. You can even whittle the results down by selecting color and size, etc.

There ya go. Don’t say I never taught ya nuttin’.

Getting the quality auto insurance you deserve is easier thanks to Insurance Doctor. They take care of everything for you, so that you don’t have to worry about anything except driving your car. Getting cheap car insurance doesn’t have to mean giving up on quality. Insurance Doctor believes in getting their customers the quality auto insurance they deserve at prices that are reasonable.

I was reading Lisa’s blog earlier this evening, and noticed she had posted about a photo contest. She has a new little one, and also a toddler, and plans to enter the baby competition. I keep thinking maybe I’ll do that, and then I chicken out.

It’s not very picturesque at all, this thing I am about to mention, though I have posted a picture or two that made me look as if I needed it. I’m particularly recalling my third self portrait, where I looked totally strung out. I didn’t need drug rehab, though, just more time to wake up. But it’s still not my favorite picture

Have I mentioned that I would love to take pictures in Hawaii? My friend Skeet lives there (she plays along with us on Self Portrait Sunday) lives there, and she posts the most amazing pictures. When I posted the picture of the tigerlily yesterday, I was actually thinking about the flowers there. I could do that one day, if I could afford the trip. The Hawaii vacation rentals offered by Gebhart sound so marvelous. They are spacious and luxurious, and offer all the amenities of home. Well, actually better than home, because all the normal everyday hassles of home stay there, LOL. Imagine, a 3BR/3BA penthouse located at the Waikoloa Beach Resort with 2,576 square feet of living space in paradise, and all you have to worry about is sunscreen and memory cards.

I need some help, dear readers. Right now, I use a Canon Powershot A530. But I am constantly looking at digital cameras, planning my next upgrade. I’ve long been fascinated but the SLRs and the different lenses and filters you can get for them, but I’m worried about being able to get them to focus properly, since I need to be speedy. How hard are they to focus? Is there an indication from the camera when you hit the proper focal point? If you were me, which camera would you choose? And why?

My Canon is 5MP, and I’m not willing to go down from that by very much, because I want to be able to get good 8×10s. As I get better, bigger prints might make me even happier. I use my zoom all the time, and I’d like more than the 4x I have, and it must be optical, not digital. Macro is a must and also the capability for video with sound. The Canon has no internal memory, and that really frustrates me sometimes, so internal memory is mandatory. And I want it to take a totally huge memory card.

Someone had fun outside this morning. We’ve been going out for an hour each morning. The children all enjoy it, and ask me from the time I stumble out of my room “are you ready to go out yet?” Hehe, I make them wait until I’ve had a cup of coffee and gotten dressed.

I know I talk about places I would like to photograph often, but….well, my very good friend said to me just the other day that she thought if I did not have kids, I’d not stay long in one place. I’m still digesting exactly what to do with that, but….it brings me around to this next topic: vacation international points.

See, the cool thing about the vacation points is that they can be used to go anywhere. I could go to Hawaii, as I mentioned the other day. I could go to Paris. I could go….almost anywhere I wanted to go, me and my camera. I could take pictures of people who didn’t make moonie faces the instant they saw the camera. (I admit, the kids are mostly over that now- -even the baby makes the shutter clicking sound these days, though, LOL!)

Wow, this is too cool! You know I take a lot of pictures, more than you see here. And a few of them are pretty good, if I do say so myself. It would be nice to have them framed, only bigger, and nicer, like on canvas and and looking like a painting. PhotoFiddle.com specializes in just that kind of photo art.

Here’s an example of thier work:

And here’s their press release:

Photographers, from pros to point & shoot alike, can now artistically enhance their digital pics and traditional photos into stylized photo art masterpieces on professionally stretched canvas using dozens of easy-to-create artistic designs, finishes and collage templates, online at www.PhotoFiddle.com.

From table size to wall size, PhotoFiddle.com can transform a simple digital photo in seconds into a dazzling array of art styles, from watercolor and pop art to a black and white line drawing or oil painting. PhotoFiddle.com is a fun way to become an instant artiste and add a creative flair to individual photos or collages. And, it’s a compelling alternative to custom designers and professional framers who are far more costly and take weeks to deliver.

PhotoFiddle.com is easy to use, takes only a few minutes for a design, and doesn’t require any creative expertise, software purchase or program knowledge. Unlike some of the well known photo and art programs, ‘PhotoFiddlers’ simply register and follow four easy steps 1, Uploading a picture to the site from a digital camera or scanned image, 2. Cropping and reviewing the art, 3. Choosing a design for PhotoFiddle to apply the photo, which can be previewed before 4. Ordering. Final artwork is available on professionally stretched canvas, framed or rolled canvas or museum quality, archival photo paper.

Among the most popular of the more than 50 PhotoFiddle designs and templates are:
- Pop Art
- Stained Glass
- Pencil Sketches
- Tinted
- Painting
- Collage designs
- Comic Book
- Filmstrip

PhotoFiddle allows users to experiment with different template designs without paying any setup fees in the convenience in their own home. Users can even email copies of the custom artwork for preview by family, friends, and associates before ordering.

Gallery art canvas and archival photo paper sizes are available from a simple 8” x 10” to as large as 6 ft. x 24 ft. The company offers live customer support during normal business hours, and an online tutorial for standard questions or creative input on projects.

Whether it’s a memento from a recent vacation, an old picture that’s been stuck in a draw for decades, or a bunch of 4×6 album photos that can be brought to life in a striking photo collage, PhotoFiddle canvas artwork is an ideal gift for anniversaries, weddings, or as an elegant accoutrement to home décor. Gift certificates are also available.

About PhotoFiddle
PhotoFiddle, headquartered in Melville, New York, offers 3-4 day turnaround on customized photo art that users design online, at far less cost than custom framers or home design professionals. For more information visit: www.PhotoFiddle.com.

Examples of Photofiddle.com work:
http://www.emediawire.com/prfiles/2005/05/18/242325/paintingstyles2.pdf

I just think that would be so cool! I said that, didn’t I? Sorry, I blather IRL if I get excited, too. PhotoFiddle offers gift certificates, too.

See this mess? I’ve been trying to get to it since Tuesday. Every time I get a chance to clean, someone is asleep in that room. Sigh. Soon, really, cause I have stuff under those clothes that I would really like to see again.