As if I'm not crazy busy enough, I've decide to add another little somethin' somethin' to my list of to-dos.
I think I'm glutton for sleep derivation or something because just when I find my groove with my task-load, I'm looking for something else to add to my plate. But this little venture I'm working on is very VERY part time for now. But I'm really excited about it!
Lil' J's adorable dress and headband is from:
I've been shooting and editing videos since high school. I do it at work every day, and recently I upgraded my camera to a Canon 5D Mark ii.
Rewind to having my daughter. I picked up a digital camera and started dabbling with still photography. I'm self-taught with the help of my manuals and Google, plus a workshop at EVO.
This year I started to do family shoots for friends, and a month and a half ago I did my first engagement shoot. After seeing the results, how happy the couple was, and from all of your support and encouragement over the last couple of years in this photography journey of mine, I finally started to consider offering this for others.
But here's the thing, I don't want to be like every other pop-up photography business out there. And I've been resisting jumping on the bandwagon of new mom+dslr+facebook page= photography business. I wanted to make sure I feel comfortable charging, and that I'm happy with my work before taking the next step. And I wanted to do a lot of research about starting a business.
I'm getting there. I'm close to opening for business. I'm researching, and using the help of ClickinMoms forums to get going. I have a 10 page (and counting) business plan and monthly goals for the next year. But there are a few things I'm working on that I could use your help with.
Like I hinted to earlier, some of my greatest skills that set me apart lie with video shooting and editing. Naturally people may think that a family video isn't as special as a picture you can hang on the wall but I beg to differ. Imagine looking at the photo hanging on your wall, but also having the laughter, winks, and secret kisses that happened when the camera wasn't snapping. Imagine seeing some of your newborn's first blinks, and how she grabbed your finger. Or the kiss your husband placed on your little boy's head. The first thing big brother or sister said to the new baby. Oh so much you can't get in a picture!
I want to do both, but eventually I want my main focus to be on video.
If you live in the Central Texas area and may be interested in being in my video and/or photo portfolio let me know. Depending on interest I may hold a mini session day specifically for my blog readers. More details to come! For now, I'd love it if you "liked" my (BRAND) new facebook page, and if you'd like, check out my website. It's in the VERY early stages, still so much to add, but you'll get the general idea. Part of me is embarassed to show you so soon but the other part of me wants to invite you on my journey to starting this endeavor.
I'm really having fun fixing up that site by the way. Wordpress is a breeze, I may have to consider switching this blog over too!
Also, a big huge thank you to Ceci Jane for her inspiration and helpfulness. She called me and let me pick her brain about her videography business in Dallas! Thanks to Veronica for nagging me about making a business plan, it's really helped me find a focus and get the ball rolling. Thanks Tara for being such a great friend and mentor the whole time I've been learning how to rock my camera as well as you do!. And thank you Heidi, Laura and Allisa for letting me text you at all hours of the day and run my ideas by you and for always being so encouraging.
You'd think I won an Oscar or something, but really, I'm just excited to have made it this far. Let's see how far we can go!
I'm not typically one to follow the crowd, nor am I one who would attempt to read a romantic novel, but curiosity got the best of me when it came to this book.
I first heard about it on a local radio show when one of the DJs lost a best and had to read it and report back about it on the show along the way.
Then I saw a Saturday Night Live skit about Amazon and 50 Shades of Grey. I haven't even read the book but I had heard enough hype to understand the joke.
Then I heard it was Twilight fan-fiction and got REALLY confused. What? It's another vampire book? No.
A friend of mine scooped up the series and texted me for an entire week about the spicy book. But I was not going to give in.
Finally, during my trip to Atlanta, the novel came up yet again at the dinner table. Everyone who had read it was raving about how good it was.
I had to ask the question: Why?
Some call it a love story, but admit it's got a kinky spicy side. Others read it for that side and claim their husbands appreciate the... Uh, inspiration?
I was morally torn about this dang book, but a bit of peer pressure, a couple nights alone in a hotel, and my innate desire to get to the bottom of things got the best of me, and I bought the book on my iPad.
Mind you, this was after I read about 15 1-star reviews on Amazon, all saying how much the writing sucked and how there's no real storyline. I had nothing to lose... Ok, well just $10. Other than that I had nothing to lose.
Typically my style of book is historical fiction, or any kind of fiction really. Currently I had been reading the second Percy Jackson series--Heroes of Olympus. Sure, it's written for 13-year-olds, but it's written dang well, and it's captivating and exciting. I set that book aside to pick up 50 Shades... An entirely different kind of book.
I sped through the first five chapters trying to understand the story yet get to the good part. Immediately I noticed the inferior writing compared to what I'm used to reading. Words like "murmur" and "medulla oblongata" shouldn't be used more than once in a book, much less in the first seven chapters. I didn't think "bad writing" would annoy me so much but it annoyed me to the point of being unable to enjoy the story.
Some people say Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books weren't written well... They haven't seen nothin' yet.
On the flight back home the pregnant woman next to me pulled out noise cancellation headphones, and 50 Shades of Grey. I saw she was getting toward the end and couldn't help but ask her if it gets better.
Nope.
"Same story different chapter" is what she told me.
I forced myself to make it through the first "hot" scene, but eight chapters in I was less than thrilled and decided to hang it up.
Maybe I'm giving the book a hard time. Perhaps if I wasn't thinking about it as being a professionally edited and written book--if I read it thinking of it as fan-fiction or a blog, I could enjoy it more. Either way, I decided to go back to my middle-school books involving Greek mythology and demigods because I'd rather read a good book for kids than a sucky book that reads like it was written by a kid.
I know I'm not the only one who doesn't get the hype, but it seems I'm in the minority. Every day I come across Facebook posts about the it, and SomeCards on Pinterest that giggle at their own obsession over these books. It seems as though everyone and their cousin loves it. To me it just felt like 50 shades of suck. Edited to add: For those who haven't read it, the first 7/8 chapters I read were boring compared to what I've heard was coming. I didn't make it far enough to get to any kinky stuff and the one steamy part I did read wasn't much of anything you wouldn't find in another adult book with a love story... Except with lame writing. Also, the fact that I'm semi-prudish may have affected my opinion. But trut me, from what I read, you ain't missin nothin.
How to make easy hanging shelves for kids room: What I'm Makin' Monday
I saw the cutest image on Pinterest of these hanging wall shelves. I followed the link and found pictures of an adorable little girls room, but no tutorial for these cute hanging shelves, but it looked simple enough so I decided to try it myself.
My first idea was to use fabric like in the picture, but after a long week of work I was too lazy to cut and sew a bunch of fabric so I decided I'd make it even easier--A four-step process that'll get you some cute shelves for less than $5.
I like it because it's a quick and easy way to decorate a wall and hang stuffed animals and other light things we might want on display. I've never been good at hanging real shelves on the wall, with all the extra mounts and screws needed, big gaping holes my husband hates, so this works great! And they look like fun little swings for your stuffed animals.
All you need is some wood planks, ribbon (or fabric), and D-rings.
I got about 1.5in D-rings (you can get these at craft stores or online for way cheaper, I got brass as Home Depot which ended up costing a bit more-Like $1.50) and used 1.5 in wide grosgrain ribbon, and since I have SO much tulle I'm trying to utilize, I used some of it for these shelves. I started to buy paint to paint some 2x4s for planks but then found some 1x4in-ish primed wood that was 8ft tall in the trimmings (like baseboard area) section of Home Depot (is it just me or is everyone here SO helpful?!). I had it cut into four 2-foot planks. That was $6. So I didn't need to paint it (I may add some fun color to the sides later with my craft paint).
So once you have all of your supplies here's what you do:
1. Cut your ribbon/fabric. I did mine about 35in long, because once it's folded in half, and the board is placed inside, it'll hang about 15in. 2. With right sides of the fabric/ribbon together, sew a straight stitch across. For safe measure I went back and forth a few times. 3. Place the D-Ring upside down, between the two halfs of fabric/ribbon and sew another stitch across just below the first line of stitches, sandwiching the D-Ring between them. Go slow, if your needle pounds the ring it'll break. One of my needles fell victim to the D-Ring. 4. Turn the ring and fabric/ribbon right side out, repeat process with another strip, hang with some little nails or hooks, add wood plank and enjoy!
TADA!
What do ya think? They aren't perfect, but they're good enough, and that's my style when it comes to crafting.
Please excuse my horrible photos. It was bedtime, so no sunlight, and harsh lamp lights. I'll try to take better ones for examples today.
If you made something this week (or any week) and blogged about it I'd love to see. Let us know in the comments so we can check it out!
If you're not a mother yet, you probably won't understand what I'm about to say, if you are, I hope you know exactly what I mean.
Being a mother is such a blessing. Sure, everyone here on this planet is here because of their mother. It's nothing unique, but that doesn't make it any less special.
It's like I've gotten to hit the "reset" button on my life and start it over in a new perspective. I don't mean I'm living my life vicariously through my daughter, I mean I have an excuse to do everything all over again with her.
From playing with bubbles, and tossing a balloon around the house, to smelling the bluebonnets in a field of wildflowers, or tickling her until she's helpless with laughter (at least once a day); these are the moments I want to remember. Moments I can remember now that I'm older.
They're times she'll probably forget at her young age, but ones I'll capture, cherish, and share with her someday.
Recently Hallmark came to my town to talk to bloggers about our passion for writing and doing what we do. They fed us breakfast and shared their Moments and Milestones and "Tell them" campaign. When they started I was jumping up and down inside going "YES! I do this!" but the longer I was there the more I realized there are a lot more people aside from my daughter who need to know how much they mean to me.
The idea is that everyone has something to hear. For instance, I would like someone to tell me that it's Ok that my house is messy. That their house is messy too and that we all need a break from cleaning every now and then. Is that so much to ask? If someone told me that every day, I'd feel so awesome.
We watched some videos about this campaign and I like a dork, I went home to watch more because they seriously gave me goosebumps. Watch this one! It's super short but if you're sappy like me, it'll hit home.
Awww! That little girl on the diving board asking for you to tell her she can do it. I imagine that being Lil' J years from now looking for me on the sidelines for reassurance.
I think of things I'd like to tell my daughter every day. Things I hope to remember to tell her again and again when she's older and can understand. Every day I capture a moment with her, and I share something about herself, or wisdom I want her to remember on my 365 Moments blog. I'm hoping to print and bind it all in a coffee book for her someday. I'll have to make two.. One for her and one for me. (By the way, you can also upload your own photos on their mosaic, they're picking some to be featured in their magazine.)
I always think of all of the things I want my husband to tell me: Why he loves me, that I'm beautiful, that even though I'm far from a perfect wife, he loves my imperfections. But the men and father's in this video made me stop and think of all of the things he's probably wishing I'd tell him... That he's a wonderful father, the man of my dreams, and thank you for working long, crazy hours in a pretty darn demanding job to provide for us, that I'm so proud of him. That I pray for him every night, and that I support him no matter what. Sure, I tell him those things. But not enough.
I'm going to try a little harder to tell the people I love what they mean to me, and what they need to hear. I challenge you to do the same. Of course it's great to tell them face to face but that's not always easy or possible. You can send a text message, and email, a letter or a card. If it's hard for you to say things in your own words there are oodles of things Hallmark offers that can help. We were gifted a bag with examples of things like this, like a little rose that opens and closes with a push of a button. On the inside it says "You are the heart of our family." Lil' J claimed it but I helped her share it with Daddy.
We're about halfway through the year but I'm going to make a new resolution to tell someone close to me something they need to hear. Like my mom. Sure, I talk to her about once a week if I'm lucky (I need to do better at this) and she knows I love her, I tell her every time we are hanging up. But oh how much more it would mean to her if it were the first thing I said when she picked up the phone, and not the last.
My best friend needs to know how much I miss her. Because I really do. And my Heaven-sent new friends here in Texas need to know how much of a lifesaver they've been through all of our transitions. And you! People who actually take the time to visit my blog and see what's going on in my life... Emily, who messaged me the other day about my most recent post, another Emily who tweeted me and told me my 30 days plan (in 7 days) worked on her husband too, and everyone else who's ever emailed me about my blog, or left a comment sharing your thoughts, wisdom, laughter, experiences... THANK YOU. I try to write back and tell each of you how much it really and truly means to me that you take the time to not only read, but respond... But I know I've missed far too many of you. I'm going to get better about telling each of you personally what that means to me.
After the even Hallmark wrote to me and said I could do a giveaway for some of the items they treated us to at the event. My favorites were the Blooming Expressions flower I mentioned earlier, and the Christopher Interactive Story Book and Storybuddy. I rekindled the habit and started reading her a story every night (my husband and I alternate) before bed. She LOVES it. We let her pick out a book to read and this one is one of her favorites. She holds the bear while I read the story and at the end of each page he'll add his little two cents. It's so cute! (He also sleeps in her crib now).
Side note!: Speaking of their books, we got a Mommy and Me recordable story book, so she can still hear me read to her while I'm away, and I definitely plan to get one more for my husband to read to her while he's away at work. My heart breaks a little when I'm getting her ready for bed alone after several nights of him being home and she reaches for the door, and says "Daddy?" This way when she makes that request while he's working, she can still have him read her a story. In case you haven't heard of those recordable storybooks you can check them out there! I'll probably make one a part of his Father's Day gift.
Ok, back to the giveaway! Thank you for reading my blog! I'd love to gift one of you with both the Blooming Expressions flower and the Christopher Interactive Story Book and Storybuddy courtesy of Hallmark. I promise you your kiddo would get a kick out of them, and all you have to do is leave a comment letting me know what you want to tell someone (or tell me) or what you'd like someone to tell you!
Make sure you use the rafflecopter widget below(you can't see it from my homepage, you need to click on the title of this post to see it) to mark your entry. Check out the widget to see how you can get extra entries. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway
