beautiful

 Jen Lee and her Diana as seen and captured by our own Superhero Andrea

Recently, while enjoying my time away at the Mom 2.0 Summit, I had the pleasure of meeting the delightful Katherine Center. I knew even before we officially met that we would hit it off. Friend after friend told me so and I take match-making friends seriously (and always appreciate the connections). So, Katherine is not just a super-cool gal, she's the acclaimed author of The Bright Side of Disaster and her latest brilliant literary offering Everyone is Beautiful. The book is awesome; perfectly written, insightful, hilarious and cut-to-the-heart tender. I'm not even finished with the book yet (and truth be told I secretly never want it to end) but I am so smitten. When you get the chance to read it for yourself I'm pretty sure you'll see the fantastic synergy between the main character Lanie and so many of us.

All March long we are delighted to be partnering up with Ballantine Books to celebrate Katherine's new book and to help spread the word that indeed, everyone is beautiful. And what word could be more perfect to use for our One Word Challenge than Beautiful?

And to add a little extra click to this month's project, Ballantine Books is giving away 4 of Katherine's books and 4 Diana cameras to accompany the books. How totally fun is that? Again, when you read the book, you'll understand the connection. It's a must read. Need I say more? We'll be giving away the books and cameras randomly on the remaining Sundays of the month. Yay!

So today, as we kick off March's OWP we welcome you muse on beauty, grab your cameras and see what kind of beautiful you can find through your lens. 

Please note- We have decided to start a new flickr group to make it easier to navigate through the OWP participant's images without having to depend on tags. Click over to the new group and submit your photos to the pool to be considered for our OWP daily feature. Please tag your photos with the word of the month ((this month is beautiful) and the month itself (this month, March). Thanks and we look forward to seeing your beautiful images soon!

Comments

[sebrina]

Wonderful!! I just joined the new group and submitted my first picture!
xo Sebrina

[Puna]

Thank you! This is a treat! Even if I don't win the book, I will purchase it. You've peaked my interest! Today is Sunday and this is what I find beautiful...

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/a-beautiful-sunday/

[shelli]

Exciting! I'll join the group right away.

[Meg]

How Exciting!!! I've wanted to get my hands on a copy of that book, and the camera to boot?! AMAZING!

My first submission for "beautiful"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7565577@N04/3317006535/

[Jess]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jesspunky/3319219744/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject
I just joined the group too!
what a terrific giveaway, thanks!

[liz]

Wow...wonderful word and giveaway!!! How absolutely fabulous it would be to win the book and camera! I'm so excited to start this month's one word project. Thank you SS.

[Amanda Johnston]

Awesome! I can't wait to play the One Word Challenge this month. We woke up to a special treat this morning ... snow! I live in South Alabama. We hardly ever see snow. http://endlesslightcreations.blogspot.com/2009/03/snow.html

[s]

awesome I submitted mine! :)

[camerashymomma]

oh my word!! i love her, her writing really resonated with me with her first book (for obvious life changing reasons) she gives me hope both as a newly single mother and as a writer as well. i cannot wait to get my hands on her new book. and the OWP!! how perfect. i'll begin looking for all things beautiful today (i most often have more luck with projects when i'm told what to do and not given free will like the month of february! ha!)

your generosity here is overflowing. now i'm off to join the new flickr group!
happy march shutter sisters!
xo

[eph2810]

Oh, that is just so exiting. I am looking forward to participate in this challenge. Super cool prizes too :)

[victoria winters]

The book sounds great - something I need to read right now.

Here's a picture I took a few years ago - in my dining room - when the light was shining in through the window. I love the mood of it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3430/3185218820_4488dc9267.jpg

[Grey Street Girl]

So glad you're starting the new group. I can't wait to see all the beautiful submissions!

[Suzanne Lorenz]

I love your site, and love that you are offering this community to us to share. I'm excited about reading the books and contributing to the photography pool.

[Charlane]

flickr is being such a PAIN today - I can't wait to join the group. Sounds like a beautiful project.

[laura-dolcepics]

Great word! Cool Diana camera!

[Esther]

What a great idea! I wasn't able to do the OWP in February and I so want to do this in March. Looking forward to see a lot of stunning photos!

[Jean M Fogle]

My beautifuls are up at my blog .Snow makes Witchhazel's bright red flowers even more beautiful!
http://pixels-n-pen.blogspot.com

[Jenny Bean]

I joined the group and added a photo :0) what a great give away!

[eph2810]

Not sure if we suppose to come back and leave the link...but just in case if we do - here is mine for the month of March - beautiful:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eph2810/3319584904/

Thank you again for the great group and the opportunity for very cool prizes.

[Julie Alvarez]

Happu beautiful March!!

[cloudscome]

Wonderful word to focus on! I'm playing: http://sandycovetrail.blogspot.com/2009/03/pink-tullips-beautiful.html

[camerashymomma]

ok i had to come back to say thanks. setting out today, the first of the month, with a project in mind has really got me grounded. i had fun today thinking of the first photo i'd take, and i wanted to share it here as well. many thanks, shutter sisters!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/3320880647/

[Eileen]

I joined today. I also looked at the 100 steps post. I took my dog for a walk in the rain today and looked around every 100 steps. I saw all kinds of things.. thank you for the insight

[Liane]

Thanks for the inspiration! I am loving this one word challenge.

[chocolate covered musings]

i've actually been struggling a bit to find the joy in anything recenly and this was a really great challenge for me - i decided to look for beauty in less obvious places. and the photo i chose is one i took today, taking some time out of my busy work day (which i almost never do) to take a walk to a favourite (though very infrequently visited) cafe about 10 mins from where i work. it's a quirky little coffee shop with mis-matched furniture that doesn't sell food, though people are welcome to take their own and stay a while, pull up a book or magazine or hang out with friends.

it's got two amazingly cute little bikes in the front window, one of which i snapped with my new 50mm f/1.8 lens. it's a wee rusty red & white bike with two blue seats that i'm sure i would have loved to play on had i been a whole lot smaller (and allowed to leave the shop with it!)

you can see a photo of [part of] it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leoniewise/3325605079/

thanks again for reminding me to look for beauty - it really is everywhere i choose to see it.

the book looks amazing thanks for hosting such a fab giveaway. i'll be hunting out my own copy even if i don't win one!

[Jennifer W.]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferwelch/3326972791/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferwelch/3327795178/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferwelch/3326970559/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject/

[bekkah]

Thanks for posting such a great challenge :) I just joined your group!!


http://www.flickr.com/photos/83931555@N00/3337274381/

[Sabrina Lightfoot]

Everyday.....this is what I find beautiful.....thanks for the opportunity to post! -Sabrina

[neelima]

beauty is to see not to touch
if to touch not to crush
if to crush not too hard

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