Photo Collection Publication

After two years I finally finished the collection of images of the Washington Coast!
It's a humble little publications but 40 pages of black and white photography I took over the past two years.
Now available on MagCloud for only $12.50!

This is rated for all audiences, makes a great gift or coffee table book.  Measure 8x8 inches.

Washington Coast

By Jeni Gray in Photo Gift Books

40 pages, published 10/24/2019

A collection of black and white photography. Featuring the coast along the State of Washington, USA. This is the perfect soft cover coffee table book or gift. Rated for all audiences.

Poetry and Photos Part 2

These two books were created in the same year, 2018.  Gray Photography is a compilation of some of my images up to and including part of 2018, in both color and black and white. 

Raw; Verse and Visuals, was created in 2018, with new images and brand new poetry.  

2018 was a year of inner reflection and stepping out of my comfort zone, way out.  These are the darkest parts, that haunt us all.  Not necessarily depressing, just wide open and, well, raw.

This was incredibly healing for me to get all this out.  Sometimes you have to wait till the offending family members leave this world before you can come out with - everything.

Through this healing journey I was inspired to shoot all new photography, return to my first love, black and white, and created a large new body of work that has yet to be released in book form but many of the images are available on my website.  I am planning to compile the best of those images and get a book out this year (2019).

These two books are also available from right here on the blog, from the publications page. 

If you've had some ideas rolling around in your head for a book but just haven't taken that step yet, I encourage you to self publish.  It's a fast and fun way to get your creations out there - now!

I'm happy to answer any questions you have, just leave them in the comments.

Fall Projects

Sunset on the Washington coast

 Fall is in the air!  The first couple of rainy, cool days here has me slowing down after a seemingly never ending year.

Spring and summer were full of remodeling projects and work, a nice end to summer with a visit from some of my family and a wrap up to yard work.

I am so grateful to have this life.  Have I thanked you yet?  My readers and followers?  I have met some truly wonderful people through this blog over the years.  I consider you friends and colleagues.

In the Fall as I slow down, I also find a need to simplify.  This is good for the soul.  I often take on too many projects and spread myself too thin, ever do that?  Well this year I have a better plan.

One website, one blog, one Facebook page.  I have one Instagram account and one Pinterest account as well.  

This will make my life so much easier and less stressed as I head into next year.  I already have a business and household to run, but love my side business in the creative arts.  

Although I did close my Etsy shops this year, I am still pursuing online sales for my photography and publications.  The time has come to simplify it all and have it make more sense.

As I catch my breath I am thinking about some fun but low key projects for Fall.  Since self publishing three small books last year, I now need to promote them.  I have posted them on the "Publications" page with links to purchasing, but I haven't actually taken the time to properly promote them here on the blog.  So I'll introduce them each in their own post, this way I can describe them in a little more detail.  

I know it's hard to shop online, you want to be able to pick an item up and look at it and touch it before you buy it, try it on or just see it in real life.  These posts will give you a better idea what my books are all about. And the best news is that all the prices have been lowered!  So they will make great gifts as well. 

I hope this finds you enjoying your life, till next time!

J

2018 Projects

Happy New Year!!

I hope this finds everyone rested and ready to head into the New Year, clean slate, refreshed and optimistic.

I made most of my resolutions and goal setting lists on the winter solstice, but have already added, subtracted, and tweaked them to fit into my overall plan:  Keep It Simple!

I have two little businesses and too many hobbies for one person so I have to stay organized and on track!  I support myself and need to make every dollar count, as well as my precious time.

My main business is Hood Canal Services which keeps me busy 5 mornings a week. I currently have three commercial cleaning accounts, basically I'm the janitor, plus one wonderful job where I am an off-sight caretaker for a vacation estate.

This is my favorite account because I get to do all the landscape maintenance and oversee other services and repairs.  I'd love to just do this kind of work, but alas times have changed and one must be diverse to stay self employed - so.....

What I'm adding to this business for 2018 is Landscape Design.  I am still in the program, but hope to graduate with a certificate in a few weeks.  

I want to focus on small spaces, natural landscaping and enhancing wildlife habit.  I have no idea how to advertise this or where the new clients will come from, but like everything else I have done, I'll just put it out there and see what happens.

In my Jewelry business I will continue to create large wearable art from metal and other natural materials.  I have been offering these on my website at www.jgray-design.com and they are available at the Fusions Art Gallery in Ocean Shores, WA. 

In 2018 more of the large pieces will only be available at galleries and I am planning to create some smaller more affordable pieces for the website.

I will continue to make handmade jewelry supplies for my other shop:  www.jgdsupplies.com .  This is where I hand dye 100% cotton fabrics and make them into scarves and ribbon.  I also make Mala tassels and offer other jewelry supplies there.

My hobbies are going to get really fun this year as I revisit Photography!  I have some new equipment that I want to experiment with, a film camera and a longer zoom lens.  I will still shoot with the digital as well.

I've been thinking about some black and white landscapes of our area and I might even delve back into people candids.

I've expanded my photography website so that I can offer all of the best images as prints and products.  You can visit there at http://j-gray.pixels.com .

Currently I have a few images there such as this one  from a photo shoot I did for a local gardener two years ago.

 I almost forgot to add that I am working on a new photo book and a new poetry book!  Due out later this year.  I still have the other books, listed on the Publications page here on the blog.

 The hobbies list got expanded, so I'm not sure if I can cover it all, but it includes learning how to make beeswax candles, learn how to do fermenting, and add more gardening space in the yard for vegetables.  

I bet you were wondering if I was going to work on the house this year.  Well yes, I need to install a window in the back bedroom and I'd like to install those insulation panels inside the skirting.  I can probably just afford to do the back end of the mobile first, later this summer, and then do more as funds allow.

I think that's plenty to cover in one year!

Hope you all are making plans that will keep you happy.