My Digital Scrapbook

As I mentioned in a previous post, I created my own digital scrapbook to show you the many ways that you can enhance your photos to make a cherished digital scrapbook for yourself.  After using this program, I have found that it's very easy to operate and there are so many options available!  It's truly amazing all of the things you can do with your photos to create one of these scrapbooks.  I tried to use many different looks and templates and embellishments to give you an idea of what you can do with this program.  Check out My Memory Suites at http://www.mymemories.com/ for more ideas!

Digital Scrapbooking Software Giveaway!!!

For those of you who read my previous post, here's the scoop on the digital scrapbooking software giveaway from My Memories Suite.  http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software

Follow these simple steps:

1. go to My Memories Suite website at http://www.mymemories.com/.
2. choose your favorite product (ie a paper pack, or a digital layout)
3. come back to my blog and mention your favorite product as a comment on this post and you're entered!
4. A winner will be chosen and rewarded with a free digital scrapbooking software package. I will notify you when the winner is chosen and who the winner is...so keep your eye out on my blog!

And there you have it...easy as that!  Now let the games begin and may the best scrapper win!! :)

Digital Scrapbooking...it's the new rave!

I recently added a post about the website I discovered, and I wanted to share all of the information with you again...in case you missed it! 
For those of you who like scrapbooking, you are going to LOVE this!  It's a fun, easy way to create a digital scrapbook in a few easy steps!  And not only is it just for digital scrapbooks, it's also a great place to create photobooks, calendars, cards and so much more!  The name of the site is My Memories Suite (http://www.mymemories.com/). You will find tons of great things to use to help you in creating beautiful digital scrapbooks that will hold your precious memories forever.   Once you purchase and download the digital scrapbooking software, it's very simple to create your own memory book with pictures from your own computer and then simply print the scrapbook when you are finished for a beautiful, lasting photo book to keep! 

First of all, I was given the opportunity to download the My Memories Suite software in order to try it out before I started recommending it to my family and friends.  I must say, it's very easy to use and there are so many options to use in order to get just the look you want for each page to help better enhance your photos.  I plan on sharing the photo book I created to show you just what you can do with the digital scrapbooking software.

Next, the nice people at My Memories Suite have offered a promotion for those of you interested in their products. 
Simply go to their website at http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software , enter this promotional code : STMMMS73860, and receive $10 off the My Memories Suite Scrapbooking Software and you will also receive a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store, where you can get any of their other digital scrapbooking products.  (they also have lots of free products available too!!)

And lastly, they have also offered me the opportunity to be part of a GIVEAWAY!!!!  (exciting, I know!)  In this giveaway, you will win your own free software for creating your digital scrapbooks.  Please follow my next post to receive all of the details on this giveaway and how you can go about winning the digital scrapbooking software for yourself!!

Stay posted!!!

It's all about Eyes!

This is my first photo challenge on I Heart Faces.  I'm still new to the photography game, but I've always had a passion for it.  I thought this photo challenge would be a fun way to get my foot in the door!  This week's challenge is "Eyes".

I captured this photo of my son, Jackson, as he was showing me a new toy...and I got a great shot of his beautiful little eye!  :) 

Scrapbooking Mamas...UNITE!

I was recently asked to help take part in sharing a digital scrapbooking site with anyone who is interested.  The name of the site is My Memories Suite.  They offer tons of digital scrapbooking kits and software for making your own memorable scrapbooks, cards, calendars, photo books and lots more!  And by simply creating a user account with them, you are able to download free kits that can be used in creating your perfect digital scrapbook.  In addition, I've also joined a sharing program with them to promote their site, and by giving you a promotional code (listed below), you will receive $10 off of your order.  I will also be taking place in a giveaway for a free digital scrapbooking kit in the near future, so stay posted!!

Promotional Code: STMMMS73860
Again, use this if you purchase any products from the site and receive $10 off! 

Stay tuned for more info on the giveaway!


   http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software

Photography for Beginners

I've always had a passion for photography from a very young age.  There's just something so inspiring and wonderful about being able to capture images that will last a lifetime (whether it be of family or friends or just a beautiful flower that you pass by)!  After having my son, that passion grew...knowing that I wanted to sieze every opportunity to get every second of his life on a still frame to cherish as the years go by.  Also, I've recently started dabbling in photography at a more "business level"...taking photos of my friends' kids, editing photos for people, etc.  With that being said, I made it a mission to take and produce the best quality of photographs I can in order to help better preserve my son's childhood and to please the people who ask for my services.  I'm by no means a professional, and I'm not going to pretend like I know everything about photography and act like all of my pictures are art gallery worthy, because I'm still a beginner myself, but I thought I would help out anyone interested in how to go about getting started taking great photos without going to a professional.  You CAN take your own and they WILL look beautiful and flawless!

First, I started off by researching cameras.  I really had no clue where to begin as far as buying one, so I went to the wonderful world wide web to find out as much as I could about different cameras.  All I had ever used in the past was point and shoot cameras (mainly and most recently, my trusty Nikon Coolpix, but I had outgrown its capabilities), so getting an SLR camera was a goal of mine.  I spent a lot of time finding out what an SLR camera really is and what it does, I watched numerous tutorials on how to use them, how to take good quality photos with one and compared tons of reviews on which was the best.  After months of looking, I finally took the plunge and got a camera.  And I must say, it was well worth the effort and the cost!  There are so many great digital SLR cameras out there, and I really don't think you can go wrong with any of them!  It may seem pricey for a camera, but I can assure you that you get what you pay for.  I ended up choosing a Canon...even after years of faithfulness to Nikon, the Canon just seemed to have everything I was looking for.  But honestly, they are all nice, you just have to find the one that suits best what you plan on using it for.  My advice....do what I did and do your research...ask around, do some digging and find out what the best fit for you is.

Next, invest in a good editing program.  While there are many free options available online, they just don't provide the quality and capability that the better, more costly programs do.   It may seem like you are paying a lot for a simple editing program, but I tell you, it's what makes a good photo become an amazing photo!   Not to mention that the cost of the program is going to seem small compared to the money you will save by not going to a professional photographer for all of your photo needs.  I opted for Lightroom by Photoshop.  There are many different programs out there, but I chose Lightroom simply because I could edit every aspect of a photo (ie the exposure, brightness, color, saturation, tint etc) just as if I were developing my own photos in a dark room (hence it's name...Lightroom).  But Adobe has many Photoshop options available and all will give you many different capabilities that you would not otherwise have without an editing program.  So my suggestion is to get one...whatever it may be...because it really does allow you to take your photos to the next level! 

Next, it's all about lighting!  I encourage anyone seriously interested in taking quality photographs to get to know your light.  (sounds a bit silly, I know, but I'll try to explain what I mean)  The lighting in a photo can manifest it into something so much more beautiful.  A simple beam of sunshine can work wonders for an otherwise "ok" photo.  There are technological ways of working with light through your camera...using the shutter speed, flash, etc, but there are also so many ways of working with natural light around the subject.  My words of wisdom on this (which can be taken as you wish), do some homework and learn the different ways you can work with lighting.  There are many tutorials and informational websites and books that will walk you through lighting techniques.  And another way to learn is to just play with lighting while taking photos....be aware of the light you have to work with in the environment around you, notice the details of the lighting and take photos at different angles to see where the light falls on the subject and what works best for the subject matter at hand.  Once you become aware of the lighting, you will find that there are many different angle options to taking what would normally be a one angle photo. 

And lastly, try to convey a "feeling" when taking a photo...something that a viewer can relate to.  The most admired photos are ones in which the photgrapher makes us feel like we know the subject in the photo or makes us feel something about the photo.  In my personal opinion, especially when photographing people, I prefer to let them do what they want to do, let them just be in a natural setting, while I work around them.  I'm not a fan of forcing someone to sit and smile for photos.  I think a photo is much more genuine and heartfelt when you capture people being themselves and living life....especially with children.  While I understand that there is a time and place when sitting portraits are wanted, I think truly great photos of people come from them enjoying life and portraying that to a viewer.

I hope these tips can be useful in your pursuit to achieve high quality photos for your own endeavors.  So go out there and start taking some photos!  Happy shooting to you all!  :)

Worth the reading...

I recently read this article, and had to share it! As I was browsing through one of my favorite websites (organicsoul.com), I came across this article, "5 Easy Ways to Help the Earth", so I thuoght I would pass it along with hope that you will heed the advice given.  Even if you don't do everything listed here, even a few things will greatly benefit our Earth!  And they aren't time-consuming things, just some minor adjustments to your way of life that could make a huge impact on our environment.









With the world’s population growing, resources dwindling, and ecosystems facing threat, the earth is in desperate need of a superhero. Lucky for us, we can all play part without  devoting much time away from our ever demanding lives filled with family, work, and school. Here are 5 simple ways to help the earth! The best part? You can get them all done in under 30 minutes! Wow!

Number 1. Donate to a Charity

If you’re looking for a quick way to make a difference, donate. Although this is a largely detached way to get involved, it nevertheless can lead to world-changing results. Find a charity that speaks to you  – one of our favorites is Trees for the Future – and donate a nice sum. It could mean making the difference for animals, ecosystems, and our fellow men and women.

Number 2. Opt out of Snail Mail

Paper mail is so last century anyways. For all your bills, bank statements, and information you get from those organizations or markets you’re involved with, opt into electronic mail. This will literally saves tons of paper over time. This goes for those coupons too – if you don’t use them, contact the sender and get them to take you off the mailing list. With less paper used, more tress will stand strong!

Number 3. Reuse that Bag

Plastic or paper? Neither, please. It takes all of 30 seconds to buy a reusable bag while you’re the grocery store and after you do, you’ll be on your way to reducing your ‘bag print’ – something many people fail to consider. Better yet, if you want to devote about 10 minutes to this, make your own bag out of an old t-shirt. It’s simple, quick, and saves tons of resources (plus, you get to keep that favorite shirt of yours!). Here’s how!

Number 4. Don’t Eat that Meat

This is really more of a conscious decision, making it take all of 5 seconds to do. Livestock requires huge, intensive sources of energy. The industry is vastly overworked and the negative aspects that come along with this industry are too large to ignore – it is literally choking the Gulf of Mexico to death. By switching to more vegetables – at least 2-3 days out of the week – you’ll be curbing your use by a huge proportion. If everyone did this, it could literally save the world – there would be less methane gas, we could create forests where farms are now, and the ocean would get some much needed relief.

Number 5.  Buy Organic

Like the last one, this is a value choice that takes far under 5 minutes. Despite the simplicity of making the choice to buy organic, the positive results are too large to pass up. Organic farming supports cleaner air, water, and earth. It promotes the sustainable use of our world. It creates jobs in a industry ruled by industrial machinery. It promotes better health for you, your friends, and your family. Switch to organic! It really doesn’t cost much more (besides, you’ll save money by not purchasing as much meat) and it you can take pride in the fact that you’re voting with your dollars.

Sausage & Zucchini Yummy!

As much as I love zucchini bread, it tends to get a little boring after I've made about 30 loaves with all the fresh zucchini in the summer!  So I'm always looking for new recipes to incorporate zucchini and get some use out of it with all that I yield from my garden. Leave it up to my mom to come up with a very tasty and easy recipe that I now love to make!

It really doesn't have a name, so I decided to name it "Sausage & Zucchini Yummy"...it was the most accurate description that I could come up with! :)

Ingredients

• ground sausage (I prefer to use spicy because we like it, but you could use any ground sausage you like)
• fresh, sliced zucchini
• spaghetti sauce (I make my own sauce, but you could use any you like)
• fresh, grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Fry sausage in a pan until cooked.
2. Add sliced zucchini and spaghetti sauce and simmer until zucchini is fully cooked (will be tender and soft when cooked completely)
3. Plate up and sprinkle with the grated cheddar cheese.
4. *Optional*- Sometimes we use this as a spaghetti sauce and use it on top of spaghetti noodles.  Alone or with noodles, it's really good!

And that's it!  An easy, delicious meal with fresh veggies that your family will be sure to love!