Check out this week’s Foto Friday Fun!

What’s Foto Friday? It’s our weekly blog post of customers enjoying their Zazzle products. Want to join in the fun and earn $5 towards your next Zazzle order? Read below for details on how to participate in Foto Friday.

Carpe Litum T Shirts

Y-Dynasty T-shirt

Giant panda bear cute cub

Want to join in? It’s easy and fun! For every photo you send us we’ll give you $5 to use on your next Zazzle order. So get started taking those pictures and join in on the Foto Friday fun!
Rules:

1. You must be in the photo holding, wearing, hugging, or otherwise enjoying your Zazzle product
2. If the product is available in the public Zazzle Marketplace, include the product link
3. Be creative and have fun!

You can tweet your photos to @zazzle or do it the old fashioned way by emailing them to community@zazzle.com.

Lauren, who has 16 galleries on Zazzle including DooniDesigns, was kind enough to sit down and answer some questions about her experience on Zazzle.  Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store DooniDesigns!

Zazzle: First off, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Lauren: My name is Lauren.  I am 33 years old and I was born and raised in New Jersey.  Designing for Zazzle is my full time job! I found Zazzle by accident many years ago,but didn’t utilize it full force until a year and a half ago (so glad I did!)  I  It allows me to stay at home with my 9 month old daughter.  I also just started a site where you can purchase graphics to use on Zazzle, Dooni Graphics. I started this site because I know what it feels like to have a good idea but little capability to make an image to go with the concept.

Zazzle: What’s your inspiration for your designs?

Lauren: Many things inspire my designs.  It gives me a chance to express myself like nothing else. I am inspired by everyday life.

Zazzle: What has been your favorite design you’ve created, and why?

Lauren: My favorite designs is my “cute oh snap gingerbread man“. I like this design the best because it is both funny and cute!

Zazzle: What is your favorite Zazzle feature? How do you use it?

Lauren: My favorite Zazzle feature is the quick create.  I love that I can produce many designs and I can offer them to the public in an organized and quick way.

Zazzle: Do you have any fun stories about being a seller on Zazzle?

Lauren: My hummingbird tie was worn by Ted Danson on the show Bored to Death!  Funny thing is, I didn’t even know about it until someone commented on my product to let me know it was in Entertainment Weekly!

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Lauren: I went to school for graphic design and was really interested in working from my home. Zazzle = PERFECT!!

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Lauren: The best advice I can give is to not give up!  I have come across so many creative and talented people that would throw in the towel too quickly.  It takes time.. oh, and it doesn’t hurt to have a web site to advertise yourself.

Thanks Lauren!

Dear Zazzle Member or Concerned Citizen—

Today, there has surfaced a great deal of discussion and debate over certain products in the Zazzle Marketplace which reference text from Psalm 109 in combination with reference to President Barack Obama.  We at Zazzle are aware of the issue, and would like to take this opportunity to respond in a unified and public fashion to all parties and viewpoints.

Zazzle puts great value on its Marketplace as a forum for discussion and debate of the issues of our day.  We are proud of the fact that no matter how arcane or apparently esoteric a subject may be, there can often be found Zazzle products pertaining to it.  We are particularly sensitive to Zazzle as an open forum for the expression and debate of political viewpoints.  The rigorous debate and discussion of political issues, including candidates for political office, our elected leaders, and pending and actual legislation, is something that drives the very democracy that in turn allows for our freedom as citizens to make these expressions in the first place.

With that in mind, it is only after great thought that we have determined that these products, in the context of the full text of Psalm 109, may be interpreted in such a way as to suggest physical harm to the President of the United States.  In deference to the Office of the President of the United States, and in accordance with federal law prohibiting the making of threats against the physical wellbeing of the President of the United States, Zazzle has therefore determined that these products are in violation of the Zazzle User Agreement and not appropriate for inclusion in the Zazzle Marketplace.  We have begun efforts to remove them from our website, and we will be vigilant to the publication of similar products moving forward.

Zazzle will continue to allow and encourage the submission of products that express disapproval or approval of the President’s policies and actions, but Zazzle will not permit products that may be interpreted to suggest violence toward the President.

Sincerely,
The Zazzle Team

Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me? M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E! Happy birthday Mickey! Disney’s iconic character, Mickey Mouse, turned 81 today (he doesn’t look a day over 25) and we’re celebrating by sharing some of our favorite Mickey products, which make great gifts for Mouseketeers of all ages!

Long time Zazzler and fractal enthusiast JamesOakley just took Zazzle and fractals to the next level with his freeware application, Mandelbrot Explorer! What does it do? This fun application allows you to create beautiful fractals and then purchase them on products with the Zazzle API. How did this idea come around? As James says… “One day it occurred to me: If I have enjoyed putting my designs onto products at Zazzle, why don’t I offer that feature to users of my software. It’s much more personal and enjoyable for them to order products with their own designs on them than it is for them to buy one of mine. The final link in the chain was when Zazzle released the create-a-product API. That wonderful feature gave me the technology I needed to make that dream a reality.” See below for a screenshot on how it works.

It’s even internationalized to work with each of Zazzle’s domains from around the world. How cool is that!

Check out Mandelbrot Explorer here if you want to try it out. Thanks James for working with Zazzle and your amazing software!

Check out the brand new PLoS Store on Zazzle! PLoS, the Public Library of Science, is a nonprofit organization committed to making scientific and medical research a freely accessible public resource; and now they are committed to making great PLoS merchandise! How did this all start? PLoS Co-Founders Pat and Mike have always been big fans of creating fun PLoS t-shirts to wear in their labs (comfort, there’s a science to it). The t-shirts became so popular with co-workers and friends alike that PLoS HAD to open a Zazzle store to share their creative genius with the world. You can read more about the path that led PLoS to open their store on their blog.

Check out this week’s Foto Friday Fun!

What’s Foto Friday? It’s our weekly blog post of customers enjoying their Zazzle products. Want to join in the fun and earn $5 towards your next Zazzle order? Read below for details on how to participate in Foto Friday.

Disney T-Shirts

Smile Tee Shirt

Angry Aussie Tie

Save a Vegetable Eat a Cupcake T-shirt!

Want to join in? It’s easy and fun! For every photo you send us we’ll give you $5 to use on your next Zazzle order. So get started taking those pictures and join in on the Foto Friday fun!
Rules:

1. You must be in the photo holding, wearing, hugging, or otherwise enjoying your Zazzle product
2. If the product is available in the public Zazzle Marketplace, include the product link
3. Be creative and have fun!

You can tweet your photos to @zazzle or do it the old fashioned way by emailing them to community@zazzle.com.

New Zazzler Andrew McNally (andymcnally) talks to us about the influence behind his cartoons, and what he loves about Zazzle.  Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out his store andymcnally!

Bio: When Andy McNally was a young boy, he became stranded in a field not far from his house. Fortunately a swarm of wild honey bees found him, and took him to raise as their own. “You can never have to many worker bees”, was their motto. He lived happily with the honey bees, until one day it became apparent to all of the other bees that he could not fly. Even though he easily brought home the most pollen every day, he was voted out of the hive. Hearing a loud dull thud out in the field (see earlier mentioned voting, by angry pro-flight bees), his real parents rushed out of the house and rejoiced at finding the now grown boy. They celebrated by having a spot of tea, with fresh honey.

Alas, the bliss of the reunion was short lived. His parents learned that he had not discovered the secrets of making honey and most importantly that he could not fly. A vote was held, once again, and it was decided that he must leave home and find a job.

Andy has been drawing since he was old enough to hold a pen or pencil.  The only thing better than drawing, is spending time with his daughters.

Zazzle: What’s your inspiration for your designs?

Andy: My designs come from many places in my imagination, which was heavily encouraged as a child and even now by my daughters.  My mother and sister are both artists, so it runs in the family.  I’m inspired by, what I refer to as, retro style cartoons that I watched as a child in the 70’s.  The work of Hannah Barbara, Looney Tunes (Warner Brothers), and Dr. Seuss are all influences on my style.  Another big inspiration comes from the future styles and technology from the World’s Fair and Disney’s Future World, which created my early fascination with robots and gadgets.  I just knew that we would have jetpacks and live on the moon by now.  I love heavily styled cartoons and art.  Some of my newer influences include the work of Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack and Dexter’s Lab) and Craig McCracken (Powerpuff Girls and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends).  I should also mention that literature is a big influence.  I love science fiction, fantasy, and children’s literature, but especially the works of Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman.

Zazzle: What has been your favorite design you’ve created, and why?

Andy: I like everything that I create so that is a tough one.  I draw to please myself, first and foremost, and then really hope that other people like them also.  Often an image or character pops into my head and will not leave me alone until I draw them.  If I had to pick my current favorite, it would be the Curious Gentleman and the Mysterious Ice Cream Shop.  A story came along with that illustration, so it is lingering in my mind right now.

Zazzle: What is your favorite Zazzle feature? How do you use it?

Andy: Zazzle has many wonderful features, and I’m inspired by all of the beautiful shops and artists.  My favorite features right now are the site customization tools, the new scrollable Store Category(working on new category buttons for my shop), and my true favorite is just how freaking easy it is to create a product with my artwork.

Zazzle: Do you have any fun stories about being a seller on Zazzle?

Andy: I still think I’m pretty new to the whole thing.  I’m really passionate about telling other people, especially artists about Zazzle and the opportunities that exist.  I teach computer classes for my day job, and I was telling one of my classes about having a featured item for the day.  We were taking a break from class, and my phone vibrated letting me know that I had email.  I had sold two shirts from my shop.  One of my students had gone to my shop during the break and bought the shirts.  I was giddy with excitement, and I still am every time I get an email saying that I made a sale, someone has joined my fan club, or leaves a comment.

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Andy: I remember finding Zazzle on Twitter, which is a great tool for connecting with others and promoting your shop.  I had tried some other sites to sell my art, but had not really made any sales.  I signed up for Zazzle and instantly fell in love with the site and the ease at which I could create a product.  I sold a t-shirt in my first 30 days, which matched my total year sales from another site.  I was hooked after that sale.  I fall in love with Zazzle all over again with each new site improvement and product addition.  It is a wonderful place full of opportunity.

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Andy: Again, I still think of myself as someone just starting and constantly learning.  My advice would be to make products that you want to buy and to just keep exploring new ideas.  It costs nothing more than your time, and you have so much to gain.  Also, use social media, like Twitter, Facebook, Tumbler, and YouTube to help promote your store. Engage people in a conversation and show them your passion, rather than trying to sell them something.

Thanks Andy!

To all veterans

Thank you! Thank you for serving your country. Thank you for doing a job that in peace time is often ignored and during war time is often controversial. Thank you for dealing with the hardship that the job puts on you and your family. Thank you for caring enough to offer up the ultimate sacrifice.

To veterans’ families:

Thank you for what you do; supporting your veteran. Thank you for dealing with the stress of having a loved one away from home, sometimes for years. Thank you for the sleepless nights you go through during rough times. Thank you for being single parents, while your serviceperson is away. Thank you for being there when your loved one comes home and for the way you pick up the pieces, if they do not.

To everybody else:

Call a veteran today and thank her or him. If you know the family of a veteran, thank them. Far too often, as we watch the politicos debate the value of one war or another, we forget that there is a man or woman sitting in a foreign country, away from his or her family, doing a sometimes thankless job.

Today, thank a veteran.

Garfield has been hard at work on Zazzle! Check out the new Garfield binders that feature everyone’s favorite lasagna-lovin’ cat with classic Garfieldisms.

Also, in partnership with Rockwell Art, Garfield has launched an entire line of Norman Rockwell + Garfield mashups that “offer a unique twist to two classic American properties,” according to Mike Waldner, Director of Licensing for Rockwell Art’s parent company. Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield, had this to say about the new venture on Zazzle:

I’ve always been a big fan of Norman Rockwell’s art. I grew up on a farm in Fairmount, Indiana, and Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post covers really capture the spirit of small town America. He’s a true master, and his work conveys such warmth and humor.

A few years back, we had the opportunity to partner with Curtis Publishing and put Garfield literally “inside” some of Rockwell’s most famous paintings. We scanned high-quality prints of Rockwell’s art into the computer. Garfield art was painted separately and also scanned. The two images were then merged to create a single digital image. No paintings were harmed during this process!

My favorite image is the new take on Rockwell’s famous “Triple Self-Portrait.” Garfield is so used to being the center of attention; it’s only natural that he’d hog the spotlight.

Originally created for a wall calendar, “Garfield Visits Rockwell” is now available for use on all sorts of Zazzle products, and I’m happy to bring “the Art of Humor” to all of Garfield’s fans.

- Jim Davis, Creator of Garfield

See below for the designs that Mr. Davis is talking about. Go to the Garfield Rockwell Store to see all the great designs!