what girl are you?

We are all photographers together, yes?

....but we do divide into smaller group depending what we like to shoot and the gear we shoot with... Canon, Nikon, Polaroid, Pentax, Olympus, Rollei, iphone....the list goes on.... and that’s what makes us all so uniquely different.

While I was on the shutter sisters Camp, I noticed the conversations between the ladies “oh I’m a Canon person", "I've always have been Canon...” or “I’m a Nikon” (although pronounced different on either side of the pond!)... "Nikon is the best" and there were so many proud “Polaroid girls...” saying "My heart belongs to Polaroid"

I shared this with a dear friend of mine and it sparked into a new collaboration to celebrate what you shoot with. We have created prints and badges/buttons for you to be proud of who you are. I am a Canon girl..... and know some of you are Nikon girls and Polaroid girls...

As we're so excited about this new project, we’d love to offer one print of your choice to you lovely girls out there, all you've got to do is tell me what girl you are.....Canon, Nikon, or Polaroid or something else in the comments below.... You have until tomorrow Sat 21st Jan midnight PST.....

Updated - the winner was Stephanie of http://bigmariolife.blogspot.com/ - If you would like updates of further products, please follow us at facebook.

Oh....YES you can

Say you can, you will.....say you can't...you won't.
Is it that simple? Hmmmm, maybe not quite. But this has worked for me, time and time again.

Throughout my creative journey I have always believed I 'could', even before I began, and it has served me well over the years.

If you simply believe that you CAN, you really CAN do amazing things in an extraordinary way. 

In my twenties I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, so I got married and had two kids by the time I was 23. The one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted kids, so it was an easy decision to make. In time, after the baby stage was over, I came back to the question, 'what am I going to do with my life?'

A few years later I decided I wanted to paint. I simply started painting...dove right in. I never did take a painting class; I just kind of faked it, til I made it. I had no idea where that painting would take me! The more I did, the more in love with the process I became. I started calling myself an artist early on. I think that belief, that clear intention, laid the groundwork for my future and allowed me to build a career with my art. Honestly, if you were a stranger looking in you would have thought, is she crazy... she's really not that good! But yet with great intentions, I made it happen. I managed to create a career around my art, a career that has helped support our family, a career doing something I love.

When I discovered photography I never once thought I couldn't do it. I just did it...forging ahead...learning as I went. When i finally decided to learn photoshop I dove in with both feet....simply believing I could.

Just the other day someone asked me: 'but how do you know how to do all this stuff?' And I simply answered 'Easy, I never doubt that I can, and I learn as I go.'
All the knowledge and inspiration we could ever need is at our fingertips; right in front of our eyes in just seconds. We don't even have to leave home. There really are no excuses.

I've watched my children struggle to find direction in their lives. Their biggest obstacle is a 'can't do' attitude, but I know one day they will discover that they really can. And for that, I can not wait!

Whatever you want in life, you can do it…. It may take hard work…there may be mountains to climb, obstacles to move....but it's completely doable. First you must believe you can.

Are you struggling with your photography? Do you think you can't take pretty pictures, or you can't get out of automatic mode, or you can't learn how to use the big, bad photoshop? 
You are right! As long as you feel that way….it will never happen. You gotta switch your thinking….. 

Now's the time, my friends…. It's almost 2012….. are you IN? Are you READY? Can you do it? Whatever it may be.....You can… I can… We can!!

Today I am giving away a spot in my new eCourse, Beyond Layers, a year of art full inspiration. 52 weeks of encouragement, motivation and inspiration……centered around, but so much more than photoshop……

I'm so excited to share this with the world. I'd love for you to be a part of it.

To enter please share with us your 'I can' statement for 2012.
In 2012.... I can…..
What is it you've been wanting to do? State it here…. and believe you can with all your heart. 
I will be right here, cheering you on!

*****

For more information about the Beyond Layers eCourse, click HERE. The give away winner will be announced at the bottom of this post on Saturday, December 31st at 12:00pm.

Update on Saturday, December 31, 2011 by Kim Klassen

The give away is closed.... But please continue sharing your 2012 'I cans" with us!

Thank you all so much for sharing so openly..... I'm excited for each and every one of us.....

The Beyond Layers eCourse winner is...... Tracy K. Tracy wrote 'I can believe in myself!' 

love that!! :)

Tracy, please message me so I can get you all set up!

Happiest 2012....xo, Kim

savoring motherhood

I did all the right things. I read all the books. I watched all the videos. I took all the classes. I went to prenatal yoga classes religiously, took walks with my husband, and daydreamed with him about how we were going to have the “happiest baby on the block.” I savored every minute of my pregnancy and was excited to do the same with our newborn.

We were ready. Or so we thought.

Then she arrived and everything we thought we knew flew out the window. Night was day and day was night. I felt as if the life I once knew was a distant memory and now I was navigating new and very foreign territory. I wouldn’t have traded my new life for the old one, but those early days were hard. Very hard.

Several weeks after Sadie was born, I realized that I had been in a deep fog. While I was wallowing in the exhaustion, she was growing and changing. And I had missed it.

Yes, this has been one of the most difficult times in my life, but I don’t want to lose sight of how wondrous and amazing it is. I want to savor it because it will be gone before I know it.

Never in my life have I been so aware of the passage of time. Becoming a mother has amplified my need to preserve memories. At seven weeks old, I am floored by how fast Sadie is growing. Sometimes, it feels like she changes from minute to minute. She’ll wake up from a nap and I swear she’s gained three pounds. Every morning, I wake up to find a new baby.  

And so I do what I always do when I want to savor a moment in time: I pick up my camera. And when I do, I see for the first time what has been there all along: chubby hands, tiny ruffles, soft skin, itty-bitty shoes, little toes, wise eyes, first smiles, and a whole lot of love.

Yes, in the topsy-turvy life with a newborn, my camera helps me savor the simple moments and remember what is most important.

Share with us the kinds of moments you are savoring this season.

* * * * * *

Darrah Parker is giving away one spot in the Slice of Life Project, a 6-week photography e-course that will help you savor the details of your everyday life. Leave a comment for a chance to win a spot in the winter session, starting February 6.

For more information about Darrah, visit her website. For more information about her e-course, visit the Slice of Life Project web page.

thankful for this

A month like the one we've had here, has been incredibly nourishing. To be reminded again and again of all the things there are to be thankful for keeps me in a grateful frame of mind; which is the best frame of mind to be in.

I've been really trying to live in the space of thankfulness; for my family and friends, for health and happiness. For living a creative life, for being surrounded by a community of incredibly inspiring women, and for photography. And from the look of the One Word Project flickr pool this past month, you've been focusing on the same thing.

Although today might be the last day we "officially' celebrate the word thankful, I know that if anyone can continue to carry that spirit into the next year, it's all of you. I look forward to that. But for now, let's share for one more day, what the last month has meant.

Share with us your quintessential thanksgiving (whatever it looks like to you). And because our gracious sponsor Hello Canvas encourages us to delcare our gratitude by enlarging it (canvas style), they are providing the last giveaway of the month. All you need to do is share your "thankful" here in the comments for your chance to win the random 20X24 canvas giveaway!

And as a little something extra, they'll also be giving away a 20X24 over on their facebook page today. All you have to do is visit them over there and share a comment on their facebook wall. Don't forget to tell them you're with the sisterhood for your chance to win the fb contest.

You have until midnight tonight EST to leave your comment here for your chance to win a Hello Canvas print (like the one in the photo above!).

...........

Congratulations Veronica! You won a canvas print from Hello Canvas! YAY YOU!

one day on earth

Last Friday was 11.11.11, when we “all become one” and took part in the beckoning of lovely. There were also other wonderful projects happening that day.....

I took part in One Day On Earth last year on 10.10.10..... So when they said they were repeating the project on 11.11.11, I jumped right in, photographing and filming my day. I was really thankful to capture the ordinary things I see throughout my day, to keep a record of it just for me and maybe for it to make it into the film..... I’m still working through all my footage and can’t wait to see it come together.

One Day On Earth is calling out for any photos or videos from that day and so if you shot something on 11.11.11 send it their way... you can find all the information here.

What were you doing on 11.11.11?

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Oh my goodness the lovely people at Hello Canvas are showering us with more offers... Are you ready?

From today until November 30th there is a special discount of 25% off for everyone here at Shutter Sisters! Use the coupon code; hellosisters (you can place this code when ordering on the page after the address details)

Also, they are extending (for the Shutter Sisters only) the deadline to order prints before Thanksgiving; All Shutter Sister friends can order up until this Coming Sunday to receive their prints before the holiday!
 
And... for the free 20x24 inch Hello Canvas giveaway TODAY; why don’t you to head over to Hello Canvas’s FaceBook page or Twitter (#freefridayprint) or comment here and enter your "favorite quote of all times." Hello Canvas will chose a winner on Monday morning.
 
Finally..... Hello Canvas is currently running a competition on their facebook wall, where they are giving away 10 FREE PRINTS to their fans! Why don't you get involved in the fun and have a another chance to win some free canvas prints! The more "LIKES" on their facebook fan page, the more chances to win.....

Wow! what a lot to be thankful for.....