finding beauty in your home

"I adore her (Sally Mann) work, and I subscribe to her basic notions of photography - shoot what you know, and - you can find great images right in your own backyard. One of my best friends and I have an ongoing discussion surrounding this topic - he thinks he needs to pack up the car and get away somewhere for a few weeks in order for the photography muses to show him the way.

I have to admit, I waffle during our discussions -- there are times when I'm convinced I need to pack up a few cameras and a bag full of film and head back to Havana - or to some faraway place -- but then I realize that some of my most favorite images were taken within a 10 mile radius of home."

- Bob, the brilliant photographer behind No Traces.

I love this.

Because sometimes I do forget. The simple joy of a piece of chocolate cake and a glass of milk. My children playing lying on the living-room rug, the gentle evening light. The delightful sound of someone laughing, or falling rain. Sometimes I forget that simple, truthful beauty can be found in every little corner of my home.

Gather up the joys and the love, capture the beauty of your life in your home and share the links to your images in the comment section below.

And don't forget to leave a comment here today for a chance to win your own copy of America at Home with your own custom cover. It's the fourth post of our Sundays at Home series for November.

What To Do At Home

November is usually the month of sickness in our family, and this year is no different.  All three of us are currently at different stages of the cold or the flu.  What this means is that we've been spending lots of time at home--in bed, on the couch, and on Facebook.  And now that Cadence is in preschool, I'm pretty sure that this will be a recurring theme until all our immune systems have made the proper adjustments.

So what do you do to keep from going stir crazy when you're all homebound and feeling under the weather?  I suppose we could bake a pie, but our oven's broken.  Maybe I could just commission some of these carrot cupcakes.  I've definitely been filling up on hot tea.  I should probably get through one of the books I've started but never finished.  I suppose if we get really bored, we could always start jumping on the bed.  It's times like these I really wish I knew how to knit. 

Share with us your favorite things that make extended indoor time at home fun and cozy or just bearable--crafts, games, books, movies, comfort foods/drinks, you name it.  And if you have links to images of you and your families doing these things, that's even better.

Don't forget to leave a comment here today for a chance to win your own copy of America at Home with your very own custom cover. It’s the third post of our Sundays at Home series for November.

One Sweet Shot - November 2008

It’s not everyday that you discover mystery and magic held in a cup of something warm and wonderful. And in is the time of year when weather often keeps us close to home mysterious images like this fill us with comfort while piquing our curiosity and sense of adventure. So much wonder, so much to discover as we watch, wait, dream.

Such is the trail of the other lovely images captured by Jeanne Boyle—strewn about fallen leaves of color and texture. Reminding us that happiness and contentedness can be found right here, where we’ve landed.

Grab a cup of warmth and get cozy as you click around all the sweet shots this morning.

Pumpkinoodle is honoring this one from InkyBlack

Busymomma66 is honoring this shot from artful life

Rachel Parton is honoring this shot by Julie Alvarez

Whirlwind is honoring this shot from Ittybits & Pieces

Jeanne Boyle is honoring this shot by Andrea (scout)

Nicky Thomas is honoring this shot from myrtlemount and this one from Just Make It

Camerashymomma is honoring this shot from Something Cheeky

Debbie Schinker is honoring a shot she discovered over at DPS. This shot was taken by Jessie Coffee, an 8^th grade photography student in Arkansas

Kimberly Kwan is honoring this shot from kisforkelly and this one by sheenalu

Just Make It is honoring this shot from Meshl

Thanks again for playing along this month. It’s always a pleasure to share such stellar images.

Be sure to leave a comment here today for a chance to win your own copy of America at Home with your very own custom cover. It’s the second post of our Sundays at Home series for November. And congratulations to the winner of last weeks copy Spread Your Wings.

november giveaways: more sundays at home

Today marks the end of Daylight Savings Time for 2008, which in these Midwestern parts signals the inevital gloom of a dark, cold winter.  Yes, I know that calendarwise, we're only in the middle of autumn, but here in Chicago, autumn usually last six weeks while winter lasts six months.  And believe me, I definitely felt a chill in my bones today.  The end of DST also means we natural-light junkie shutterbugs suddenly lose an hour of shooting time each day.  For a working gal like myself who gets on the train before 7am, spends an entire day in a windowless office and doesn't return home until close to 5:30 in the evening, it means I can say goodbye to the sun until spring.  Anyone else feel my pain?

Before I depress myself TOO much, I guess I can look on the bright side of the imminent darkness and chill of winter.  Here are some things I'm looking forward to: getting cozy in the warmth of home, sipping hot tea with a book and nowhere to go, making popcorn and watching movies as a family, turning inward and reflecting on the past year, spending time with loved ones and catching up on our busy lives during the holidays.

Here's something else to cheer us up: we are designating another month of Sunday Giveaways on Shutter Sisters!  Remember how we partnered with the folks behind the book America At Home during the month of June to give away FIVE of these amazing books with CUSTOM covers?  Well, we're giving away FIVE MORE this month, one on each Sunday in November!  If you haven't already taken advantage of the 25% discount offered by Rick Smolan to get this treasure of a book, here's your chance to win one.

So as the days get shorter and colder, start capturing the warmth and simple pleasures of your hearth and home.  Even if you live down below the equator and can't imagine a cold, dark November, show some empathy for those of us in the extreme North by sharing your photos At Home as well.  To be included in the random drawing, just leave a comment below with a link to your photo of hearth and home between now and Monday at midnight EST.  For inspiration, be sure to check out these great photos At Home by jodyangel, pumpkinoodle, and simple sparrow.

And speaking of great photos of hearth and home, Sheri at CafeMom's Home & Garden Buzz is celebrating the simple moments at home as well.  Share your photos of home on her Show & Tell post by November 30, and your home could be featured in a "Show & Tell" Home Tour on CafeMom like the one she did with SouleMama.  Totally cool.

Friday's Featured Resources in a Creative Bookstore

Today’s post is chock full of resources of the creative kind. We’ve got lots of incredibly gifted ‘sisters’ out there doing amazing things. Like getting books published. And I mean lots of them! So, in honor of these awesome accomplishments I thought I’d do a little round up of some of the blogosphere’s finest.

A Year of Mornings

Many of us followed Stephanie and Mav’s blog 3191 from the early days and I know on more than one occasion I thought, this would make a beautiful book. Guess I wasn’t the only one thinking it. The photographic connection these two friends share in not only uncanny, it’s mesmerizing as is the new book. I can only guess what book is next.

Taking Flight

Only the incredible Kelly Rae Roberts could bring such beauty together in one book. And the best part is that she not only shares her work and her process with us, she makes us believe we can do the same. The pages are filled with enchanting art, love, wisdom and her creative spirit as she beckons us to fly with her.

The Creative Family Life

Every time I visit Soule Mama’s blog I swoon. She lives her daily family life like a celebration; an ode to the beauty of everyday moments. To have the sage wisdom of Amanda Blake Soule in a treasury such as her book is a gift.

Ordinary Sparkling Moments

The infamous Swirly Girl (Christine Mason Miller) breathed this book to life with the art, knowledge and insight that only a true artist of life could. Her work graces the pages and her words lift us up and challenge us to recognize all that perfectly wonderful in our ordinary lives.

Sharing you Story

It’s no big news to all of you that Ali Edwards works magic into everything she touches. With her latest book she features mini scrapbooks as delightful means to help us tell the stories that make up our everyday lives using words and photographs (and if she has anything to do with it, a little magic too).

How to be an Explorer of the World

This offering from the prolific Keri Smith is quite literally hot off the presses. I can’t wait to get my hands on it. If her previous titles Wreck this Journal and the Guerilla Art Kit are any indication of what’s in store, it’s going to be creative genius I’m sure.

Congrats to these lovely ladies on their accomplishments and lucky us to get to reap the benefits of their soul work.

Last but not least, it is with great pleasure we open the doors to the Shutter Sisters bookstore. We’ve begun with these titles and more and look forward to adding to our virtual bookshelves. If you have a book you would like to recommend, something that has made your creative spirit sing, please feel free to leave it in the comments or email us. We love to be inspired!

Leave a comment today to be entered in our random giveaway of a $20 Amazon Gift card. You have until Saturday at midnight to enter. The only tough part will be choosing which book to buy with your winnings!