Best practices for hanging artwork

Hang wall art 6-12 inches above furniture. The art photograph by Pauliina Saarinen Photography.

Your beautiful wall art has arrived and is ready to be hung on the wall. Making holes in walls can be nerve-wracking, especially if you aren’t quite sure where to put those holes. I have listed a few rules that you can follow to add a pleasing focal point to your room.

Preparations

Get your tools ready before you start. You need:

• Tape measure

• Painter’s tape

• Roll of paper for templates

• 24” level

• Hooks

Begin by tracing your frames on a roll of paper and cut out templates for each frame.

Using your paper templates, try different layouts by taping them on the wall. When working out the layout, keep these interior designer’s principles in mind:

The Eye Level Rule

If placed on an empty wall with no furniture in front, the art piece should be placed so that the center of the piece is at eye level, which is about 57-60 inches from the floor. Follow the steps below to hang your art at eye level.

1. Measure from the top edge of the frame to the hook or the wire pulled up so that there’s no slack. This is the “Hardware height” measurement.

2. To determine the height of the center point, measure the height of the art piece and divide by 2.

3. Subtract the “hardware height” measurement from the halved frame height.

4. Add 57”-60”, depending on ideal eye height for you. The sum is the final height at which the hangers should be placed on the wall. Don’t forget to measure from the floor.
   
   

Breathing space

When hanging artwork above the sofa, mantel, bed or other furniture, you want space around the art piece so that it can breathe and not look crammed. A good rule of thumb is to place the bottom of the frame 6-8 or even up to 12 inches above the top of the feature. In these cases it’s acceptable to break the Eye Level Rule. Experiment with your paper template to see which height looks good in your room.

The ideal size of the art piece relative to furniture is between 2/3 to 3/4 of the width of the furniture. Art image by Pauliina Saarinen Photography.

Size matters

A big print will create a beautiful focal point in a room with a lot of wall space. The ideal size of the wall art piece relative to furniture is between 2/3 to 3/4 of the width of the furniture. You can also use two pieces of large wall art that together measure about two-thirds the length of the furniture.

The more the better

Your wall art should cover 60 - 75% of the available wall space, i.e wall space that isn’t covered by furniture or moldings. To calculate the coverage that suits your space, begin by measuring the width and height of your wall and then multiply both dimensions by 0.60 or 0.75. This is the space you have to work with. It can be filled with a single or multiple art pieces. A cluster of smaller pieces will create an eye-catching gallery wall.

Leave 2-6 inches between frames in a grouping. Art images by Pauliina Saarinen Photography.

Gallery wall Tips

A gallery wall can fill any size wall space. It can have a unified look, or it can consist of prints with different frames, mediums, finishes, colour themes and include both matted and full frame images. Below are a few gallery wall tips.

1. Leave a 2-6” space between frames.

2. If you have a focal piece, don’t be afraid to place it off centre. Experiment what it would look like if placed off centre or in the middle. Go with what suits your space and taste.

3. Add to it. Your gallery wall can evolve and change with your life.

Finally, to keep your art looking great for a long time,

• Avoid hanging artwork directly above or below heat sources.

• Hang your art on walls that don’t get direct sunlight.

By following these tips, you’ll create a balanced and eye catching display to your room for every day enjoyment. If you have any questions, you can leave me a comment below.

When Woof ate a bag of chocolate shavings... →

KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Woof’n Sheep’s Clothin’ , Woof for short, was one of the five Bedlington Terriers that I have owned over the years. How I wish that I had better images of him! This is a great reminder for everyone to have their pets professionally photographed. Cell phone snapshots just aren’t good enough. Forgive my shameless self-promotion!

The bag of Callebaut chocolate shavings intended as a Christmas present for my friend was licked clean right to the bottom. The offender was easy to spot; my Bedlington terrier Woof had a chocolatey muzzle up to his eyes. Woof, a true food connoisseur, had found the shavings in one of the bags. Oh my, what a horrible mistake on my part to leave the shopping in the car with the dogs unsupervised… (the story continues below)

It’s hard to foresee all the possible ways our animals, puppies and kittens in particular, can get into trouble. During the prep for holidays, everyone is busy and mistakes happen, which can prove to be very serious, even fatal in some cases. Here’s a list of common dangers that might lurk at home during the holiday season.

FOODS TOXIC TO DOGS

• Alcohol - intoxication, lack of coordination, trouble breathing, abnormal acidity, potentially coma, death

• Apple seeds - release cyanide when digested

• Cooked bones - splinter easily when chewed causing damage to the gut, even perforation. Blockage is also possible due to large enough bone pieces

• Candy and chewing gum - often contains xylitol which can cause release of insulin, kidney failure, even death

• Chocolate - toxicity causing panting, vomiting, diarrhea, damage to heart and nervous system

• Coffee - potential death in dangerous quantities

• Raw salmon and trout - can be fatal if the fish is infected with a certain parasite

• Garlic, chives and other onions, onion powder - often in human foods, such as packaged meat products and baby foods. Causes anemia and damage to red blood cells

• Grapes and raisins - contain a toxin that can cause liver damage and kidney failure

• Hops (in beer) - panting, increased heart rate, fever, seizures, even death

• Macademia nuts - contains a toxin causing weakness, panting, swollen limbs and tremors and possible damage to the digestive, nervous and muscle systems

• Marijuana and cannabis-infused edibles - very attractive to dogs and can affect the nervous system and heart rate as well as cause seizures, coma and even death

• Shelled nuts - may cause blockage

• Persimmons, peaches and plums - their pits are a choking hazard and seeds can be toxic

• Tobacco - nicotine damages the digestive and nervous systems, increases heart rate, loss of consciousness and ultimately cause death

• Yeast - on its own or in dough causing gas and discomfort. Too much of it could rupture the stomach and intestines

FOODS TOXIC TO CATS

• Alcohol - intoxication, lack of coordination, trouble breathing, abnormal acidity, even coma or death

• Chocolate - toxicity causes arrhythmia, muscle tremors and seizures

• Coffee, tea, energy drinks - restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, muscles tremors

• Canned tuna for humans - often packed in brine (excess salt) or oil

• Milk, cheese and other dairy products - cats don't tolerate dairy products very well and can become lactose intolerant. Affected cats can vomit and have diarrhea.

• Meat products for humans - often contain onion powder which can cause anemia and damage to red blood cells

If you suspect that your pet has ingested something toxic, call your veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. Time of starting treatment is essential and can make a difference between life and death.

PLANTS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Holiday plants such as mistletoe, holly, snowdrops, lilies and amaryllis plants are bad news for pets. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous to pets or people but can cause vomiting and irritations in the mouth and stomach when eaten.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS AND TREES

Decorated Christmas trees in the house are sure to perk the interest of curious cats and dogs. Keep these tips in mind when decking the halls for Christmas.

• Chewing of Christmas tree branches can cause stomach upsets and irritations in the mouth.

• The water in the reservoir under the tree contains fertilizers and should not be ingested.

• Decorative pine cones can be a choking hazard for pets.

• Ensure the tree is well-secured and choose ornaments that don’t break and have loose parts that pets can swallow.

• Use string instead of hooks to hang ornaments.

• Avoid decorating with tinsel or angel hair as they can end up in pets’ stomach and intestines potentially causing various issues.

• Hide cords for lights to make them inaccessible to pets who like to chew things.

NEW YEARS’ CELEBRATIONS

Fireworks, fun for us but a nightmare for animals. Prepare for the night in advance to keep your frightened pets safe during the celebrations.

• Talk to your vet about options to calm your pet's frayed nerves.

• Talk to your neighbours and ask for advance notice of fireworks. This will give you time to get your pets indoors.

• If outside, keep your pet leashed or, even better, harnessed. Make sure your pet can’t pull its head through the collar.

• Make sure your pet carries tags with current infomation AND has a registered microchip or tattoo. Register your pet with the BC Pet Registry which is traceable internationally via the American Animal Hospital Association’s pet microchip lookup.

• Report your escaped or lost pets with ROAM and FLED.

Going back to Woof’s chocolate feast

Luckily for us, we were at the vet’s office within minutes. It was a simple numbers game; we knew exactly what chocolate (it was milk chocolate) and how much he ate, and we also knew his weight. A quick calculation by the vet revealed that he would be fine, perhaps a bit hyper and nauseous for a time. There was no need for stomach pumping. It would have been a different story, had he eaten that quantity of dark chocolate. Lesson learned!

Have a safe holiday with your furry family!

Frisky's favourite pumpkin treats

Christmas cookies for us people are still not made but Frisky’s Christmas treats are already done. That’s the order of business in our household! I want to share two of Frisky’s favourite pumpkin dog treat recipes for you to try out. These nutritious treats are easy to make and Frisky thinks they taste great! I don’t have a bone shaped cookie cutter but Frisky doesn’t seem to mind. Please leave us a comment below to let us know what your dog thinks of them. Merry Christmas from Frisky and Pauliina!

Homemade banana pumpkin dog treats_Pauliina Saarinen Photography

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• 1 cup canned pumpkin

• 1/2 cup peanut butter (make sure it is Xylitol-free)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F

2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin and peanut butter

3. Stir in the flour and combine the mixture into a dough

4. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface

5. Cut the dough into shapes with your favorite cookie cutter

6. Place the treats half an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet

7. Bake for 12 minutes

8. Let them cool down completely before offering to your pooch!

Banana Pumpkin Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat flour + extra for dusting counter

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 1 banana, mashed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix eggs, banana, and pumpkin together. Add flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated.

3. Lightly dust the counter and a rolling pin with flour, then roll out dough to approximately 1/8″ and cut out treats.

4. Lay on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Cool completely before giving to your pup!

How do you photograph love?

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today you and I celebrate our loved ones with our loved ones. As a photographer of people and their pets, I’m hired to capture in photographs the bond and feeling people are experiencing in their heart. How does one begin to photograph LOVE? I think about that every time I pick up my camera. To start unpacking the emotion, I ask myself, “what is it that my clients love?”.

A moment in time

When people ask me to photograph their (furry) family, they want me to document this moment, the way life is right now. I hear urgency and appreciation. They LOVE this moment in time. Their puppy or kitten is still small and terribly cute. Their toddler is still a toddler, taking wobbly steps and falling over on the bum all the time. They still have their dear old dog with them although they know that the day of goodbyes is nearing. Or, their adult pets are at their prime, still strong and full of life. Life is never still. We and our circumstances change constantly. This moment in time is all we have. Tomorrow may already be different.

Characters

People love their pet’s personality and character. Clients with active, healthy pets always want to have images of their pets in their element, what their pet loves doing the most. When they are watching our pets having fun, playing, running, fetching, jumping or doing funny things, they feel happy because it signals that life is good and free of worries. Images showing their pets doing what do they best bring back the feeling of joy they felt when they were watching it happen.

Characteristics

When people love someone, they also love their characteristics. In pets those endearing details are the ears, the nose, the paws, the tail, the hair and the face. People look at them so often that they not only learn to adore the silky ears and beady eyes but they also learn read their pet’s emotions from those details. They know exactly what that look in their dog's eyes means. When they say a special word that only their dog knows, those ears perk up a certain way or the tail starts wagging. There is so much emotion in the little details that people want them captured in photographs. These types of images are very personal because only they know what the characteristics signal and because only they love them as much as they do.

People also choose certain breed of pets because they love the breed characteristics. They love the sleekness and the speed of their sighthounds, short-leggedness of their corgis or heaviness of their mastiffs. Before a session, I think about how I can best show the aspects of my client’s pet’s appearance that they find attractive.

A place in time

People also love certain places. They want to remember the environments that they enjoy and appreciate. A garden or a park looks amazing during a certain season. A forest where dog owners walk with their dog every day becomes a special place filled with emotion because they have spent such great times there with their pet. A rare visit to a special place may be worth documenting in images. I listen carefully to my clients to find out what places they find closest to their heart. The physical setting of the images captures the love people feel for that place.

Thinking about what love feels like helps me to get to what love looks like in photographs. As L. M. Montgomery put it, “[n]othing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.” Wearing with my heart on my sleeve certainly helps me in my quest to create meaningful images for my clients.

2020 Holiday Gift Guide for Pet Lovers

It’s only a three short weeks until Christmas and, if you are like me, your head is spinning trying to find gifts ideas for your family and friends. To help you in your search for gifts, I compiled 2020 Holiday Gift Guide for Pet Lovers so that your task would be easier. If this is exactly what you need, read on. You will also have chance to enter Christmas Raffle to win a Pet Photography Session!

I hope you like the items I picked. All of the products are found locally to help keep your business in our Comox Valley area. Each listing includes

WHAT the item/service is,

WHO makes/sells/offers the item,

WHY I think it’s cool,

WHERE you can purchase it, and

HOW MUCH you can expect to spend.

Let’s get started!

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Far Fetched Grooming gift certificates

Don’t you just love the smell of freshly groomed fur! As a dog owner I sure appreciate a clean dog and jump for joy if I don’t have to do the cleaning. Why not give a sweet smelling pet as a gift to someone! Far Fetched Grooming offers gift certificates for various types of grooming services from simple nail trims to full grooms for dogs and cats. The prices range from $10 to $100. Click HERE to see the list of services and to contact Jessica or Yvonne.

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Wags Doggy Bags

And you thought you have to say goodbye to a clean car or house after getting a dog. You don’t! This brilliant product is the solution to the wet & dirty dog problem that every dog owner faces after a fun but muddy romp outside with their dog. I used to have that problem but now I simply zip Frisky up in a Wags Doggy Bag, which is thoughtfully designed and beautifully sewn of high quality absorbent cotton. She sleeps in the bag and all the while dries up. Afterwards, I can simply shake the dirt out and reuse it or throw it in the wash if needed. The prices for Wags Doggy Bags vary based on the size of the bag from $83 for XS to $123 for XL. During this Holiday season, Wags Doggy Bags are 20% off the regular price with a code “goodbye2020”. Cheers to a way better 2021! You can find Wags Doggy Bags online HERE and send them a message.

Frisky in a Wags Doggy Bag_Pauliina Saarinen Photography

A Wags Doggy Bag is ready for the next use_Pauliina Saarinen Photography

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Pawsitive dog walking and daycare

If dogs could choose their Christmas gift, this is what they would go for, a Pawsitive Dog hike with all their doggy buddies and have a blast! Check out PAWSITIVE DOGWALKING ON INSTAGRAM to see images from these action packed forest hikes where dogs get to be dogs! A 2-hour morning off-leash hike for $25 + GST or 1-hour hike in the afternoon for $15 + GST would be a much appreciated gift for a dog owner. Or, how about a day at a doggy daycare? Very exciting news fresh of the press is that Pawsitive is now also a doggy daycare as their new indoor open concept facility is ready to accept clients on December 1st, 2020. A full day of fun at Pawsitive Daycare is $28 + GST. Kelly and her crew is insured, licensed and have Dog 1st Aid Certificates. So, you can fully trust your pup in their care. A happy dog is a well exercised and socialized dog. Find PAWSITIVE DOGWALKING ON FACEBOOK to send them a message or call them at (250) 871-6665.

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Wire art by Kauri

In the era of everything electronic, I grave the tactile feel of a bookbook and real bookmarks, like these cuties. These gorgeous wire creations are made by Kauri, a Campbell River artisan who sells them on Etsy website, which you’ll find HERE. This sweet little gift would warm the heart of a real bookworm in your family. The prices for these pieces are around $14. You can choose Black, Gray, Antique Copper, Copper, Gold, Rose Gold or Silver wire. Order through the link in this post.

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40 Knots wines

Of course, you need a glass of wine in hand when cozying up on the couch by the fire with a pup or kitty cat on your lap during this Christmas Season. May I recommend a couple of tasty pours from our local and wonderful 40 Knots Vineyard and Estate Winery, a very red and smooth Carambolage and a delicate and aromatic White Seas for those who prefer white in their glass. Both wines are made from 100% Vancouver Island grapes and are oh so easy to drink. Grab a bottle or a whole case of these much loved wines to add a special touch to your or somebody else’s Christmas. A bottle of Carambolage is $27.90 and White Seas $22.90. A great selection of GIFT CARDS is also available, which would make wonderful stocking stuffers. 40 Knots tasting room and vineyard is located at 2400 Anderton Road in Comox. You can also reach them by phone at (855) 941-8810 or by email at info@40knotswinery.com. Browse their offerings online at 40 KNOTS WEBSITE. Here’s to a Merry Christmas! Look, swirl, smell and TASTE!

40 Knots wines featured by Pauliina Saarinen Photography

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Pet photography gift voucher and Christmas raffle

This is me, one woman run pet photography boutique. “How cool! That’s the best job ever!”, people exclaim when they hear what I do. I know I’m pretty lucky. Our pets make us feel so much better, make our whole lives more joyful and more complete. Our pets teach us about LOVE and make us better people, I think.

I transform the bond you have with your much loved pet into tangible photographic art products such metal prints, framed canvases, heirloom quality albums or story boxes, which I collectively call my Signature Products, and they last decades longer than our pets. The beauty of these products makes your jaw drop or your heart skip a beat and what’s more, you can feel the LOVE that is captured in them!

The process of creating custom art begins with the booking of a pet photography session which, by the way, can include humans too. My 2020 booking fee is $199. It’s a retainer that reserves a spot in my calendar but turns into Product Credit that you can use toward purchasing Signature Products at our View & Order Appointment. This Holiday Season you’ll get $250 credit! BOOK A SESSION for yourself or for someone else and you are well on your way to creating lasting memories.

And finally the RAFFLE part. On December 31st, I will draw ONE (1) lucky person who will win a $199 Pet Photography Session and get $250 credit toward Signature Products. Everyone who enters the raffle is a winner in my books as I will have something special in store for everyone submits the form so stay tuned. ENTER TO WIN NOW! Merry Christmas from Pauliina Saarinen Photography!

A hand crafted story box for mounted images_Pauliina Saarinen Photography

A Lucky Day

It’s cold and snowy on Vancouver Island this week for which we can blame the polar vortex. I’m reminded of the cold snap that we had in Toronto, Ontario last year in January. For a few days mercury dipped well below -20 Celsius, and the snow had that special squeak which tells you that it’s bitterly cold and hurts your teeth as you walk. One cannot let the weather bring photography to a halt as it’s usually the most adverse conditions that produce the most unique images. That day, I bundled up in a parka and snow pants and headed for a winter photo shoot in a dog park. I photographed Lucky, a year-old Welsh Corgi Pembroke.

Overnight we had gotten a foot, if not more, of powdery snow which is a lot for a corgi who travels low to the ground. His short legs were barely tall enough to keep his head above the snow and he whipped up a cloud of snow as he ran.

I wanted the images to show that Lucky was almost in trouble in deep, fluffy snow. I didn’t want the snow to turn into white nothingness so I made sure my camera didn’t overexpose the snow. While it almost looks pretty white everywhere, one can still see see the dents and the dusty snow he whipped up as he ran. This method that photographers call “exposing to the right/ for the highlights” makes all the colors turn out nicely. Even the white on the dog is different from the white of the snow.

That wintry day produced wonderfully happy images that make one laugh out loud. Lucky’s owners picked three of them and created a framed wall art collage to decorate their home. Lucky’s exuberant youthful puppy energy is sure to leap off their walls and cheer them up every time they walk by.

P.S. I named one of the images (below) as “Snowbound Corgi” and submitted it to Animal Image Makers’ (AIM) international photography competition held in Minneapolis, Minnesota in April 2019. It was awarded 82 points, earning a merit. That made me very happy!

As the snow piles up on the ground here in Comox Valley, imagine that you are Lucky and have fun.