Welcome to Gala98’s World

here's a few of the early model shots - I've just picked my current favs of each model for now - more to come when I get my butt in gear!!

I joined iStock almost exactly one year ago and this morning, woke up to find that I'd reached the first milestone there - 500 downloads! I am now able to go exclusive with them if I wish, my upload allowance has increased to 25 per week and I get a shiny bronze little badge. Admittedly, if I were to go exclusive now, my commission levels would increase and my upload limit would be 60 per week as well as the really great bonus of faster review times. Unfortunately, I'm committed elsewhere for a few more months so that is not a decision I have to make now.

I also reached Bronze at Fotolia last week but that is for 100 downloads not 500 so not quite so exciting - although my commission rate did go up a smidge.

This was image download #500

Antenna Array

Last month, my nephew came home from school all excited and a little panicky. His class were going to Kentwell Hall for a 16th C reenactment day as part of their syllabus and they would have to be in costume. He came home with a little photocopied pamphlet with suggestions on how parents could make the costumes (including a hat!) but no sizes or anything other than a little sketch.

Well, Aunty Helen to the rescue - I said I had an old sheet we could cut up and I've have a go at making the hat. Well, it took me almost 2 whole days to make but I got there in the end and here it is....

Todds-hat

I didn't end up cutting up a sheet, I had an old cheeseclothy type top which I cut the sleeeves off and some old trousers which I cut the bottoms off then elesticated to make the breeches. One of Uncles' old leather belts, a pendant he made himself and some long socks and he was all kitted out, ready for the next day.

Todds-outfit

He's not quite fully kitted up here - no long socks or belt but you get the idea :)

Todds-badge

The weather held up and I think he enjoyed himself, judging by the enthusiasm when he told me all about it :D

As some of you may know, I've set up a little shop over on Etsy to hopefully sell some of my more arty shots (rather than stock ones that is). Well, apparently photography doesn't sell that well on Etsy so I thought I would diversify a little and make some blank notecards from my flower photos. Have to say, I'm pretty chuffed with them - I just hope they start to sell!!

On another note - Etsy could be bad for my purse!! There is so much beautiful stuff to buy over there, that it makes it difficult not to spend a little bit here and a little bit there. I'm resisting mightily at the moment but TheMerryMuse is making it very hard! Her beautiful Fairy inspired photos are exactly what my niece is 'into' at the moment but Xmas is a long way off!

And as for jewellery - well I have given in and bought myself a small present but my favourites list is growing rapidly. Hubby won't have to go far for his Xmas shopping this year that's for sure!!

Just found a link to Jennifer's blog where she is organising a Postcard Game. Basically send her a postcard or two and she will allocate a number and post it on her blog so if you make your own postcards, it's a bit of extra marketing! She is going to donate $1 per postcard received to Ovarian Cancer Action - a UK charity trying to get the word out about ovarian cancer in the UK.

And if donating all that cash to the charity wasn't enough, she's also offering some wonderful jewellery as prizes.

Pop along and have a look at all the rules/details.

Update: the link for Ovarian Cancer Action is http://www.ovarian.org.uk/ - Ovarian cancer is apparently called the silent killer in that it is hard to diagnose and may be mistaken for menopausal symptons. This website has some good info that all women should be as aware of as they are aware of breast cancer.

say PANTS to Ovarian Cancer!! 

what alcoholic drink are you (pictures)
created with QuizFarm.com

When was the last time you did something dangerous? 
Submitted by Ross. 

Ooh, did I mention, I did a tandem paraglide too! My lovely escort for the ride was Oscar who can be found in a little shop on the harbourfront in Kyrenia (Girne), North Cyprus. He and his kiwi wife were a really lovely pair and their wild cat adopted me whilst I was in the office!! It was the most amazing experience and I would love to do it again one day. At one point, we were actually above an Eagle which was soaring in the thermals being created of the land. The views were fantastic but I found out very quickly that I had a dodgy tooth! Every time I smiled, the cold wind hit my sensitive spot and I had to clam up again!

When was the last time you did something dangerous? 
Submitted by Ross. 

I love drift diving but I'm not physically strong enough or fit enough to cope with the sort of conditions Mari described in her blog. I was with hubby and 2 friends when we hit a stong current. We knew we would have to do a negative entry (head down and kick hard for those who don't know!!) but I only managed to get down about 5 metres so I signalled to the others to carry on, I was OK and going to surface. Well, by the time I managed to surface, I was 300+metres from the boat. My dive computer didn't even register the dive so I was probably in the water less than 5 minutes but for those minutes near the surface, I felt like Superman, flying across the top of the reef. Luckily I didn't try to grab anything, I think my arm would have been torn out of it's socket!!

Piers-fish

This isn't hubby but it's sort of what he looks like underwater!! This was our dive guide swimming through a school of very small fish.

Show us some birds.

Just a few from my istock portfolio :-)

Show us a family heirloom. 
Submitted by Places Unknown.

Three Antique Books

These are from a set of 12 children's encyclopeadias from before the first world war. I spent hours pouring over them when I was a child and when my grandad passed away, I was asked if I would like the set and the little table made to house them. I still have them even though they don't fit the decor and I still read them occasionally. My nephew is just getting curious enough to have the patience to sit and read them so I guess they'll see some more grubby fingers in their lifetime :-)