knittens

89 :: 365 :: Pride

The other day I got an order for two prints from a customer in Paris.  PARIS! How cool?!  I was excited beyond belief, but a little nervous because I have been doing drop shipping, and the company I use to print doesn't ship outside of the US and Canada.  I then made the decision to stop drop shipping, and either raise my prices a tad or take the hit so that I can individually sign, date, and wrap each order.  I may only be 6 orders in, but I'm not going to underestimate the power of word of mouth.

I just want to say that I am proud of what I've done, and if I spend all this time trying to sell my product then I think the packaging needs to reflect the love I have for the craft and the care that I put into it.

One thing is for sure, if I ordered something from Etsy and it arrived like this... I'd probably want to take a picture of it before I even ripped it open. 

I've decided to officially make a "logo" and have asked for permission to use a particular font to do so. Wow. If I get permission, I'm going to have a stamp custom made with my design on it.  I am so excited. I'm trying to take everything one step at a time and not get burned out.  But boy oh boy.

And, on another front, I've got a number of free "sessions" coming up so that I can start to build a portfolio.  I am seriously all tingly.  And nervous. I feel like my images look great on the computer screen, but what if they look like crap when they are printed out?  I am still convinced that I don't know what I'm doing - but I guess the only way to improve and to grow is to challenge myself, try new things, and continue to show pride in what I do and how I present it.

I hope you are all having a beautiful Tuesday. Spring is here, there is no doubt. 

xo
meg

Change

Today at Shutter Sisters there is a  post on "the gift of change".  Houston based photographer Farrah Braniff tells us about the different aspects of her life that have been changed by the gift of her children.  She asks us to think about the things that we have seen through our lens that have changed our lives.  I think I can relate to Farrah in many ways.  My life has changed more than I ever anticipated with the arrival of my girls, and each has changed my life in their own way.  They have made me a better person, allowing me to realize patience, empathy, and how to love more deeply than I ever knew possible.  But perhaps the one thing that my girls have changed for me is my desire to realize my dreams and turn them into goals that will make my dreams a reality. 

I dream of remembering the moments I share with my family for the rest of my life.  I dream of remembering how Aubrie will closely inspect the features of our faces and how Thaya's greatest passion is climbing up on anything so that she can jump down off of it.  I do this through the pictures I take daily.  I am starting to believe that I can share this passion and this love with other mommies, and allow them to hold on these memories that are so fleeting.

 

87 :: 365 :: Play

Quick post today as we have a very busy day ahead of us. 

When I was a preschool teacher, I was always amazed how something as simple as a box could initiate hours of play.  This was the case yesterday, and not just with my toddler, but my baby too!  The two of them spent the better part of play time going in and out, putting their toys in and out, and opening and closing the flaps.  But that wasn't the best part.  The best part was seeing them interact.  Hearing Thaya say, "Here you go Aubwee" as she handed her a dinosaur.  Seeing Aubrie smile and laugh as Thaya acted silly.  And, to see Thaya jump out of the box and yell, "Follow me Aubwee!" as she took off down the hall was the greatest treat of all.

They are growing closer every day and it is unfolding before my very eyes.  I love my girls to pieces, and I am so happy that they are beginning to feel the same way towards each other.

And the winner is...

Wow, how great was the response to Giveaway? I am so happy that everyone participated, there are a ton of fantastic words in the comments,  you should go check it out!

And, the winner is...

Ellie!

Using Random.org I came up with #23 (which also happens to be my birthday! And the day that I posted the giveaway! And my husband's lucky number! It's like it was meant to be. Go figure) which is Ellie.  Ellie's one word was "tactile".  I looked at the picture again with her word in mind and it seemed to take on a whole new meaning.

Ellie, I will contact you via email (after I spam facebook and twitter that you won!) and you have until Monday to choose your print! 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway.  I hope that you'll add me to your readers and check back soon.  I had a great time with it, and I'm thinking that maybe I'll have some more giveaways every now and then.

It is late here, I meant to save this until morning (you know, normal 6am morning, not 1:30am morning...) but I woke up to take care of the babe and was just too excited to see who won.  I'll be back again later with a picture :)

xo
Meg

86 :: 365 :: Perfect

I am amazed by how memories work.  Two people, in the same situation under the same conditions could have two completely different memories of the same event.  Different snapshots in their minds of what unfolded.  Our histories influence how we respond to different stimuli, coupled with a unique physical perspective we have the beginning make-up of a memory.  Perhaps that is why I love photography so much.  I am granted the ability to show my unique perspective to the world.  Share a visual representation of what my memories are with the world.

I am usually pretty adamant about her staying off of the ledge, I catch my breath when I find her up there walking along the windows.  But yesterday, Thaya took great care in lining all her dinosaurs up on the window ledge.  She climbed up, and sat down next to her dinosaurs, feeding them, encouraging them, playing with them.  She parted the curtain so the side, and I saw a memory unfolding before my very eyes.  I glimpse of a toe here, her bright pink leggings there.

The early morning light was sweet and gentle.  She was deep in thought and play.  She was so calm and relaxed, yet full of life and energy.  The whole situation just made me stop, observe, try to understand.  I even reflected on it last night, as I edited the pictures, and now as I'm writing this post.  It was such a wonderful moment in time, one of the many that I have been able to collect over the past 2 years.  It was one of those times that just magnified my love for her ten-fold.  I saw her in a new light, literally and figuratively.  It was fantastic!

I hope you all have a fantastic Friday.  It surely has the potential to be an amazing day!
xo
Meg

85 :: 365 :: Simplicity

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

- Leonardo DiVinci

Spring always marks a time of growth and renewal in my mind, and though I rarely get around to spring cleaning, this year I have embraced it.  I'm starting to feel like someone again, like I have an identity.  Who am I? I am someone who neglects her spider plants until half of it dies off.  I'm the person who tries to hide that by breaking the plant up into lots of little pots so it doesn't look so pathetic.  I'm also the person who ignores the fact that her toddler is making it "snow kix" right now.  But, I am also the type of person who showers her children in love, decorates with an aesthetic yet practical touch, and has a goal for the rest of the year, though I may not be clear on what that goal is just yet.

Oooooh no, the "snowing kix" game has turned into a "crunching and grinding kix into the floor with our feet game".  I better run.  Have a great day!

xo
Meg

One Word :: Hope :: For Tomorrow

Sorry to double blog on you, but this is important!

In case you missed it, Shutter Sisters is (are?) participating in the Name Your Dream Assignment. Their vision, Picture Hope has worked its way up to #9 - Ooops, just dropped to 10.

Anyway, we need your help. If you haven't already, please go over there, register, and vote hope. It only takes a minute.

“Waves of a serene life pass over us from time to time, like flakes of sunlight over the fields in cloudy weather.”

- Henry David Thoreau

I like the sound of that - "flakes of sunlight". I wouldn't mind having sunlight flakes on me:)

I am so excited, for so many reasons!  First, spring is here!  The birds are singing, the skies are blue, and little signs of life are popping up all around.  Also, I am just beside myself about the feedback and general response I've had about my photography and my new etsy shop.  In fact, I'm SO EXCITED that I'm going to be giving away a free print to one lucky winner!

Are you interested in winning a FREE 8x8 PRINT?  Then you've come to the right place!  The contest will run from today (Monday, March 23rd, 2009 @ 8:00pm EST) until Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 12am EST (I may extend it another 24 hours past this point if there aren't enough entries).  All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment with the ONE WORD that comes to mind when you look at the above picture.  Each comment should be only one word! Each person can only enter once!

On Saturday, March 28th I will use a random number generator to pick a winner.  The winner will be able to pick the print of their choice from my Etsy Shop or my Flickr Stream. That's all there is to it!

Please Note: This is for a square print.  If the winner chooses a rectangular print, some cropping may occur.  Also, if the winner would prefer a 5x5 print, that is fine :) Some restrictions apply to my photo stream, like no pictures of my kids.  One more thing, I swear - I'm sorry to say that I'll only ship to the US and Canada for free - but if you are still interested and live outside the US and Canada and want to pay for shipping then feel free to enter!

We were covered by a blanket of clouds yesterday, a stark contrast to the day before.  This seems to be the norm for us, we rarely see the marshmallow fluffy clouds this time of year.  Occasionally we'll see the whispy ones, as the blue skies push this thick layer away.

We had a really fantastic weekend.  I didn't have a chance to get out on Saturday, so yesterday afternoon I took Thaya outside and we explored for a bit.  It was perfect timing for her, as she was super cranky because she had gone to bed late the night before.  It was good to take a deep breath, look around, take it all in.

I kicked off my shoes, stood firmly planted in the soft moss masquerading as a lawn, and just watched.  I watched Thaya run around me in a flurry of activity.  I heard the occasional drone of a car or motorcycle passing by on the road.  I saw the sun break through the clouds like a flashlight shining through swiss cheese, casting beams of light onto the field in front of me. I thought about how, in a few short weeks, my surroundings are going to be much different, bursting with color, energy, and life.  It was quiet, peaceful outside, but I knew underneath it all spring was struggling to brush off winter.  The plants and earth are hard at work, actively preparing for the crescendo that will inevitably arrive.

Happy Monday.

xo
Meg

83 :: 365 :: Serenity

“Waves of a serene life pass over us from time to time, like flakes of sunlight over the fields in cloudy weather.”

- Henry David Thoreau

I like the sound of that - "flakes of sunlight". I wouldn't mind having sunlight flakes on me:)

I am so excited, for so many reasons!  First, spring is here!  The birds are singing, the skies are blue, and little signs of life are popping up all around.  Also, I am just beside myself about the feedback and general response I've had about my photography and my new etsy shop.  In fact, I'm SO EXCITED that I'm going to be giving away a free print to one lucky winner!

Are you interested in winning a FREE 8x8 PRINT?  Then you've come to the right place!  The contest will run from today (Monday, March 23rd, 2009 @ 8:00pm EST) until Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 12am EST (I may extend it another 24 hours past this point if there aren't enough entries).  All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment with the ONE WORD that comes to mind when you look at the above picture.  Each comment should be only one word! Each person can only enter once!

On Saturday, March 28th I will use a random number generator to pick a winner.  The winner will be able to pick the print of their choice from my Etsy Shop or my Flickr Stream. That's all there is to it!

Please Note: This is for a square print.  If the winner chooses a rectangular print, some cropping may occur.  Also, if the winner would prefer a 5x5 print, that is fine :) Some restrictions apply to my photo stream, like no pictures of my kids.  One more thing, I swear - I'm sorry to say that I'll only ship to the US and Canada for free - but if you are still interested and live outside the US and Canada and want to pay for shipping then feel free to enter!

We were covered by a blanket of clouds yesterday, a stark contrast to the day before.  This seems to be the norm for us, we rarely see the marshmallow fluffy clouds this time of year.  Occasionally we'll see the whispy ones, as the blue skies push this thick layer away.

We had a really fantastic weekend.  I didn't have a chance to get out on Saturday, so yesterday afternoon I took Thaya outside and we explored for a bit.  It was perfect timing for her, as she was super cranky because she had gone to bed late the night before.  It was good to take a deep breath, look around, take it all in.

I kicked off my shoes, stood firmly planted in the soft moss masquerading as a lawn, and just watched.  I watched Thaya run around me in a flurry of activity.  I heard the occasional drone of a car or motorcycle passing by on the road.  I saw the sun break through the clouds like a flashlight shining through swiss cheese, casting beams of light onto the field in front of me. I thought about how, in a few short weeks, my surroundings are going to be much different, bursting with color, energy, and life.  It was quiet, peaceful outside, but I knew underneath it all spring was struggling to brush off winter.  The plants and earth are hard at work, actively preparing for the crescendo that will inevitably arrive.

Happy Monday.

xo
Meg

Giveaway!

I am so excited, for so many reasons!  First, spring is here!  The birds are singing, the skies are blue, and little signs of life are popping up all around.  Also, I am just beside myself about the feedback and general response I've had about my photography and my new etsy shop.  In fact, I'm SO EXCITED that I'm going to be giving away a free print to one lucky winner!

Are you interested in winning a FREE 8x8 PRINT?  Then you've come to the right place!  The contest will run from today (Monday, March 23rd, 2009 @ 8:00pm EST) until Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 12am EST (I may extend it another 24 hours past this point if there aren't enough entries).  All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment with the ONE WORD that comes to mind when you look at the above picture.  Each comment should be only one word! Each person can only enter once!

On Saturday, March 28th I will use a random number generator to pick a winner.  The winner will be able to pick the print of their choice from my Etsy Shop or my Flickr Stream. That's all there is to it!

Please Note: This is for a square print.  If the winner chooses a rectangular print, some cropping may occur.  Also, if the winner would prefer a 5x5 print, that is fine :) Some restrictions apply to my photo stream, like no pictures of my kids.  One more thing, I swear - I'm sorry to say that I'll only ship to the US and Canada for free - but if you are still interested and live outside the US and Canada and want to pay for shipping then feel free to enter!

Superhero Challenge :: Clouds

We were covered by a blanket of clouds yesterday, a stark contrast to the day before.  This seems to be the norm for us, we rarely see the marshmallow fluffy clouds this time of year.  Occasionally we'll see the whispy ones, as the blue skies push this thick layer away.

We had a really fantastic weekend.  I didn't have a chance to get out on Saturday, so yesterday afternoon I took Thaya outside and we explored for a bit.  It was perfect timing for her, as she was super cranky because she had gone to bed late the night before.  It was good to take a deep breath, look around, take it all in.

I kicked off my shoes, stood firmly planted in the soft moss masquerading as a lawn, and just watched.  I watched Thaya run around me in a flurry of activity.  I heard the occasional drone of a car or motorcycle passing by on the road.  I saw the sun break through the clouds like a flashlight shining through swiss cheese, casting beams of light onto the field in front of me. I thought about how, in a few short weeks, my surroundings are going to be much different, bursting with color, energy, and life.  It was quiet, peaceful outside, but I knew underneath it all spring was struggling to brush off winter.  The plants and earth are hard at work, actively preparing for the crescendo that will inevitably arrive.

Happy Monday.

xo
Meg