rainbow sprinkles

 

June is always a busy month at our house. From the end of the school year festivities, to dance recitals, to awards banquets, to the kick-ff of summer, to birthdays, it’s a hectic (albeit fun) time of year. Although I have often wished that my youngest daughter didn’t have to vie for celebratory space by having a birthday in June, I realized this year that her June birthday, if seen in a new light, is actually a gift.

I’m always mindful—as  most parents are—to be sure my kids gets rightly celebrated. That we thoughtfully choose the proper way to celebrate; serving the favorite meal, making the favorite cake, using the favorite plate, and hosting a party that fits the age and the era. Although this can be overwhelming sometimes amidst all the other activities that are jammed into June, this year, I felt like my daughter’s June birthday gave us a chance to actually slow down and focus on what matters most. Instead of feeling like it was just another thing on the calendar, it felt like the perfect respite from the chaos.

This year we eagerly and deliberately planned ahead,  setting time aside for a lovely lunch with close friends, a dinner out with the immediate family unit, and made the decision to buck our annual cake-baking tradition for a more unique birthday treat; a do-it-yourself sundae bar. I will admit, I lingered for a bit on that one. How could I possibly be OK with changing up a family tradition that hadn’t been modified since my oldest daughter was born 14 years ago? I’m not sure how. But I was OK with it. We all were. And it created just as much of a special celebration as would have come from baking a cake. By letting myself off the hook on that one (sundaes are soooo easy) I gave myself and my daughter the opportunity to add rainbow sprinkles—quite literally—to a celebration fit for a very special nine-year-old.

I’ve been wishing for ways to create a new energy around this time of year and the rest of the summer for that matter (less anxiety, more ease) and what I’ve learned is that wishes like those can come true.  All it takes is a little foresight and allowing yourself the chance savor the moment.

As we begin to wind down our vibrant month of color here at Shutter Sisters (#sscolormonth), today we have chosen to celebrate them ALL. It’s rainbow day! Rest assured, July will be bringing all kinds of opportunities to shoot and share your summer moments with us (yes, that’s a hint to our next OWP theme that will be announced on Tuesday, July 3rd) but it’s still June so let’s celebrate all the colors of the rainbow right now. Share with us every shade today!

navy blue

I'm pretty certain that there isn't a singe shade of blue that I don't love. Navy blue is supposedly one of the deepest darkest blues there is. Nearly black or so it is defined. But when I did a quick Google search for a little inspiration, the variety of shades I saw delighted me! Every imaginable hue of dark blue accounted for.

So today as we round the half way mark throught the bright bold month of color, share your point of view on the awesomeness that is Navy Blue.

mustard yellow

In seeking out and shooting color images, I have found that some colors only really beg my attention when they are next to another color. Such is what happens with mustard yellow. It's not often I am drawn to the color on it's own but paired with another hue and mustard yellow might appear like the most beautiful color on the spectrum.

Today, watch for mustard yellow and see how it plays with other colors only to subtly steal the show.

We're back into our quest for color this week as we continue a full month of color. Tag your mustard yellow images with our tag #sscolorweek. And don't forget to find us on Instragram.

what you need to hear

Images inspire me. To see the world differently. To recognize beauty. To honor the moment that is right now and to also remember what once was.

Words can do the same thing. Whether in sequence or in solidarity, the right words can sooth, encourage, nudge, or stir up somehing within me. Some words bekon me to slow down while others activate something inside me. Whatever it is I most need to hear, I always seem to find somehow. The Universe is mysterious and wonderful like that; delivering messages at just the right time.

Sometimes I appreciate most those words that allow me to relax and sink into a way of being that's full of peace and contentment.

Exhale, savor, rest, be. 

Other times, I love soaking up the words that urge me to take action. Do something, activate something, set something within myself free.

Dance, dream, create, fly.

Have you stumbled across any words lately that reminded you of exactly what you needed to hear? Or was there a message that surprised and delighted you when you came across it? Share with us the words and images that remind you of something you want to carry with you.

And don't forget, it's Best Shot Monday so we'd love to see your favorite image from the week. Who knows, maybe it holds a hidden message as well.

when the planets align

We were returning home from an afternoon spent with some friends when we remembered the solar eclipse was about to start. We pulled our cars over near the coast to take a look. Far too bright to really see, we struggled with make-shift ideas of how to knock down the glare enough to make out the shape as our sun was slowly being covered by the moon. Three pairs of sun glasses, looking through the tinted glass of our car windows, seeing it via reflection...some methods worked better than others but after a few minutes we all got back into our cars, a little defeated, and headed home.

Back at home we tried a few more of my crazy ideas (why we didn't Google it is beyond me) but we couldn't see it like we'd hoped. The family had pretty much called it an event but I kept walking outside every few minutes to see if anything had changed.

Imagine my delight when in rolled in the most ideal layer of thin coastal fog I had ever seen. Like a sheer curtain, the marine layer filtered the sun just enough to be able to get a perfect and clear glimpse of the eclipse. I screamed for the family and when they all came running outside, they were as tickled as I was.

The next time this will happen here, my kids will be 19 & 25 years old. In other words, I knew we were witnessing something very special. Click, click, click went my camera as my girls, now 8 & 14 danced along the sidewalk, squealing and giggling. I'm not sure if I'd have been able to capture the eclipse at all if it weren't for the perfect timing of that marine layer but it didn't matter; the planets had aligned quite literally and I had the honor of documenting it.

If you captured the eclipse, we'd love to see your perspective. It's Best Shot Monday, so share any image you'd like where the planets aligned and got you all aglow!