THIS moment

As we head into the busy holiday season it is ever more essential to remember where you are, right in this moment. It is easy to get swept away in our to-dos and our giving to others. Remember, YOU are a gift and your life is one too if you only stop to notice it. Give yourself with this sacred and creative time to dive deep and discover that to live the life of your dreams, you need not look any further than the life right at your fingertips.

In my own life these days, there has been a big shift happening. It all recently came to a boil when a crisis emerged in my marriage right before my 12th anniversary just a few weeks ago, and significant events started to unfold… or maybe it started when I committed to my dream about creating the wishstudio and life began aligning as I showed up to take hold of my dreams… or maybe it began when I became a mother, expanding my life exponentially after a long fallow season. These are some things I will share with you.

What really matters though, is what I can tell you now from where I stand in this very moment through all the twist and turns of my journey, that none of it really matters (gasp!) yet it is all greatly significant. With open eyes, a wide open heart and immeasurable support and love from the kindred community I've found right here, I've come to see my life through an entirely new lens – one that is steeped in compassion, love and a deep sense of acceptance and gratitude.

This, has truly freed me. It means I can let go of regret because all of it was part of seeing me into this moment. I can let go of expectations and see the abundance of my life as it is. I can embrace the possibilities, because this clarity and love is what really makes magic happen in our lives!  I can show you.

I will share with you the tales and gems of my experiences as well as offer you encouragement to find the joy that exists in your own life through creative practices and compassionate acceptance. Together we will take some measured and meaningful steps, and hand in hand along the way I know you will discover how we truly have the ability to love our lives (the one here at our fingertips!) as we ultimately learn to better love ourselves.

I am honored to give away a place in my 5-week e-course THIS moment: all you have is all you need (November 15th – December 16th 2010)! Please leave a comment on this post sharing one thing you see in this very moment that is extraordinary in your life!  If you would like to go ahead and register, early bird registration is available now through November 5th. I would love for you to join what I know is going to be an amazing journey!

Image, words, and giveaway courtesy of the lovely and talented Mindy Tsonas, creator of WishStudio.

And congratulations to Felicia for winning a place in Mindy's THIS moment e-course!

images of imperfection

As we wrap up our October's One Word Project, I am still basking in the glow of the beauty of imperfection. The ideas, images and affirmations that have been shared over the past month have been inspiring and motivating, to say the least. The integrity and authenticity of this community never ceases to amaze me.

What's stays with me now is knowing that we have engaged in a collective energy that goes far beyond just a creative photography project. We are seeing ourselves and the world around us through a more compassionate lens; embracing who we are as beautifully imperfect. That's a really big deal. Can you feel it?

As Brené Brown says in her book The Gifts of Imperfection, "choosing authenticity means cultivating the courage to be imperfect."

Here's to all of us for being brave as we have cultivated our courage together, declaring that being imperfect isn't just acceptable, it's beautiful. Keep those images of imperfection coming today as we flex our creative muscles of authenticity! If you would like Brene Brown to consider any of your images of imperfection from the month in the OWP for a video she is making in honor of the beauty of imperfection, please tag your images in our OWP Flickr pool "beauty of imperfection". Remember when you are tagging your shots with a phrase like this, you must use the quoation marks in your tag to keep the words together in your tag.

And how about a giveaway today to celebrate all this awesomeness? Leave a comment here between now and Thursday 11/4 at  midnight EST for a chance to win the cutest little camera ever: the Fujifilm Instax Mini.YAY!

A special thanks to the amazing Brené Brown for inspiring us along this path of beautiful imperfection; for the last 30 days and beyond.

As for our new word for November? Come back tomorrow when we announce it! We promise you'll have something wonderful to focus on.

2011 photo calendar templates

Sharing these photo calendar templates has become a yearly tradition at Shutter Sisters. They are a great way to use your own photos to create a custom gift for the holidays. The calendars are compact, cute, and something you can easily print and assemble at home.

Click here to download the zipped Photoshop files.

The files include basic instructions for creating your custom calendar pages in Photoshop. Then just print them on some photo paper or cardstock and cut them out.

These templates are sized to fit in a cd jewel case, but they can also be fastened together with a binder clip and hung on the wall (see photo below). If you choose to use a cd jewel case, you'll just need to carefully take apart the case and put it back together so that it stands up like the photo above.

I hope you enjoy creating your own photo calendar! Your friends and family will be thrilled to see something custom and handmade everyday. There's nothing better than a gift made with love.

the beautiful imperfection of film

I have to admit. As much as I enjoy the convenience and many possibilities that digital photography offers, my love for film, fully entrenched in the beauty of its texture, process and imperfection, is expanding every day.

Today show us some film love, tell us what inspires you about it, how you feel when you shoot it, and if you've never tried film before, we have the perfect opportunity for you today!

In celebration of imperfection (our One Word Project theme inspired by Brene Brown's new book "The Gifts of Imperfection") we are giving away the cutest little Lomography Diana Mini Camera with Flash that you've ever seen. Have you seen them yet? They are ADORABLE! Plus, we're throwing in some 400 & 100 speed film to go with it! We are giddy, mostly because we know you will be too. Just leave your comment here between now and midnight EST on Monday to be entered in this Diana drawing. Yay! 

And don't forget! Today is 10/10/10 and there are some fun events to participate in!

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Congrats to Cigi for winning the random drawing for the Diana Mini! YAY!Thanks to everyone for your comments. More fun giveaways to come this month!

horizon: a bel kai necklace for the capture collection (giveaway!)

Living in the Midwest has provided me with a lifetime of different seasons and ever-changing landscapes. We live through the long, harsh winters just to be rewarded with the stunning beauty of spring, summer and fall. The colors around me are constantly changing, but my favorite combination in nature and life is aqua blue, grass green and rich brown. My own logo and marketing materials utilize this combo and I am often drawn to these colors in clothing. So of course, my camera lens is always on the hunt for these hues.

I'm excited to share my Bel Kai Designs necklace, the latest addition to the Capture Collection of Shutter Sisters photographic jewelry. This piece combines all three of my favorite colors and upon closer inspection the layers of color reveal an image of a wide open green field and blue sky near my hometown. I can't think of a better way to remind me of growth and life throughout the long winter months (and the rest of the year).

We are delighted to be giving away one of these beauties today. Just leave your comment here by Saturday at midnight EST. Just tell us your favorite color scheme.

UPDATE: Congrats to Erin Faye for winning a Horizon necklace!