Chocolate Cactus Designs

Images needed!

Edited - I have plenty of images!  Thanks to each of you who emailed me, the response was nothing short of amazing!  Some 30 emails piled in, so thanks for that.  :)  Keep your eyes peeled for the new Asuka template coming soon!

I am looking for someone who is willing to lend me some "sample" images for my new Asuka book templates I am designing.  Yep, I am *finally* designing them after many pushes.  I need wedding images as well as child (or) family (or) baby as I am releasing two book designs.

I need enough images for a 10x10 20 page book.  Willing to send some?  There's a little something in it for you, too.  :) 

If so, email me at jodi (at) chocolatecactus.com and I will tell you how to send them (please don't email images just yet as I may already have enough).  It is MUCH appreciated! I will post here when I have the images I needed.

Thanks a million in advance!

By the way - you will absolutely be credited, and your blog and-or website will be linked to as well.

A new contest for you all!

Since the last contest, (which was a HUGE hit - thanks all!) I have had a million of you ask "When is the next one?!?!"  So here you go.

This contest will have FOUR winners!  Wooo!

FIRST & SECOND PLACE  | $200 off The Whole Cactus (logo design + letterhead/envelope design + business card design.  Letterhead/env can be substituted for promo/postcard design)

THIRD & FOURTH PLACE  |  $100 off logo design (3 concepts + 2 revisions)

I was recently faetured/interviewed on a blog.  The first FOUR people to post a reply here and tell me the following will win (but do not post the blog name or address to keep it challenging for the others!).  Prizes are given in the order replies are received.  Easy!

- What kind of camera do I shoot with?  (You'll know if you "saw me" on this blog)

- What is the one question that I say helps me "immensely" in the logo questionnaire I send out?

This contest ends tomorrow so get it while you can! 

Just a note:  After our initial email, the winners will be invoiced via PayPal, and will need to submit payment in order to be placed on my list of clients.  Without payment, I can't mark you down (to keep it fair for the others).  No PayPal account?  I accept credit cards via PayPal. 

B-cause she's great!

Been working on a "B" logo for Brenda Acuncius - too fun!  She's such a doll, and I love her work, which makes her even more of a delight!  Would share the concepts, but being that I just sent them to her, better not.  :)  Will share the final when it's completed though!

Here's Brenda's site  |  www.brendaacuncius.com

And her blog-a-roo  |  http://www.brendaacuncius.typepad.com/

Valentine's Day Templates

I had this within another post, but no one could ever find it!

Yep, I finally finished these up!  See the image below for samples and more info.  Payments can be sent to me via PayPal using the email jodi@chocolatecactus.com with the subect "Valentine Templates".  Also, be sure to include the email you want them sent to - otherwise, they will go to your PayPal email. 

They will be sent within 48 hours (although typically, very quickly).  If you do not have them within 48 hours, be sure to check your bulk/spam/junk folder before emailing me.  Thanks so much!

Overwhelmed

There you have it folks - I am slammed trying to get work completed for my clients.  I typically get around 50 emails a day ranging from inquiries, template purchases to just general chit-chatty ones.  Well, today I have received some 80 emails and the day isn't over.

PLEASE, be patient.  There seems to be a trend - "take your time, I'm in no rush" turns into "Holy stars!  I must have my _____ NOW!"  Remember that I am a "one man band" and, while impossible, I try my hardest to make everyone happy as a peach (all  while being a mama to 4 boys).  There is not one open project that I am not working on - you are all equally important to me.

I will not be answering anymore emails until tomorrow afternoon so that I can get caught up.  THIS DOES NOT MEAN I DIDN'T GET YOUR EMAIL OR THAT I AM IGNORING YOU! 

I will likely be up until the wee hours tonight so that I can make everyone happy.  The coffee's brewing as we speak.

Thanks for your understanding, and for the continued support.

More goodies for photogs

I realized it had been a while since I posted some new finds for photographers, so here you go.  :o)

MoMA Store (www.momastore.org) - I have always loved this site!  I frequent it often to see if there is anything new that I just can't live without!

Fisheye Camera - (says for kids, but heck, I'll take one!) - $55

"With its 170-degree wide-angle view and stunning fisheye barrel, the Fisheye No. 2 camera now has a bulb setting for long exposures, a switch for multiple exposures on the same frame, a true fisheye viewfinder, and the ability to fire both a hot flash and the built-in flash. Made of plastic with a glass lens. Uses 35mm film and one AA battery (not included)."

And look at the super groovy box it comes in - LOVE it! 

Need to post more later.....

And the winners ARE..........................

Drumroll please........

First Place - Siri Benrud

Second Place - Brenda Acuncius

Third Place - Joy Kaminski

WOO!  Congrats ladies!!  I am thrilled for each of you, and wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who entered - I am so flattered that you all took the time to participate.  Remember, all of the entrants who didn't place 1st, second or third get my actions FREE just for entering!  I received very few email addresses in the entries, so the best way to do this would be to email me at contest@chocolatecactus.com (different email just for this) with your Typepad name (so I can confirm you're not fresh out of the funny farm - hee) and I will reply with the actions!

To the winners - please email me at jodi@chocolatecactus.com with your PayPal email addresses so I can send along the invoices to you.  Also, this way we can begin the process, etc.!  Also, be sure and let me know which set of templates you'd like!

Again, thanks to each of you.  I am so grateful to have such a supportive group of folks following my blog! 

Wow - just wow!

I am simply amazed at the number of entrants I have received in my New Year blog contest!  You all are making me blush with the sweet comments and emails I am receiving.  I am so blessed to do what I do, and I hope that comes through in my work. 

In reviewing the entries, I am amazed at the number of sites with such beautiful, creative, unique work - wow!  I am learning so much about each of you, and am loving every second of it.

I just wanted to clarify to those who were a tad confused about the prizes:

First prize is a logo for only $20.08, which saves you $379.92 (to be exact - ha).  The second place winner will get a logo for half off, which makes it $200, and third place gets one for $100 off which makes it $300.  Second and third places will also receive any set of templates FREE.

After seeing the number of entries I've received, I decided to give all of the runners up my set of 8 actions as a gesture of thanks for taking the time to enter.  This way, no one walks away empty handed.  :0)  Also, INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!  A lot of entries didn't have them, which is okay as long as you come back and check the winners tomorrow.  Otherwise, I have no way to contact you!

Oh, and in case you're wondering about how I am drawing random numbers, here is the site I'm using:  www.random.org  Pretty nifty!  It generates all things random.

Keep those entries coming!  T minus 28 1/2 hours and counting!  (But who's counting?!)

Be sure to enter by commenting on the blog post below this one, not on this post please!

Feeling better & back in action!

Just a note to thank everyone for the sweet emails wishing me well after my lovely stint of the stomach flu.  I appreciate you all!

N E W   Y E A R ' S   S P E C I A L !

So after the umpteen emails asking me when I will have another promotion, I decided to do a quick one - 24 hours only!

For the next 24 hours, logo design is $100 off! When emailing me, make sure you mention the New Year's special, and your PayPal email address that I can shoot the invoice to.

DUE TO LIMITED SPACE, THIS IS ONLY OPEN TO THE FIRST TWO PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME!

B L O G   C O N T E S T !

Also, I will be giving a logo away for only $20.08!  Yes, one lucky person will receive ONE concept and ONE revision for only a little over twenty bucks in celebration of the 2008 year!  It's a blog contest that is easy as pie to enter.  No hard rules to follow.

-Sign up by replying to this post.  Be sure to include your email address.  Each "entry" (or comment) will be numbered in order of posts.  The first person to comment will be #1, etc.

-In 3 days, I will use a number generator to generate three random numbers (based on the number of entrants I have).  The first number will win first prize, the second will win second prize, and so on.

The prizes are as follows:

FIRST PRIZE - A logo for only $20.08!  Remember, this includes only one concept and one revision.  Additional revisions can be added for a fee.

SECOND PRIZE - Half off logo design (saves you $200!) + any set of templates FREE.

THIRD PRIZE - $100 off logo design + any set of templates FREE.

At 5pm central time Sunday, I will announce the winners! Start replying!