Keeper of Hearts: Another Bel Kai Necklace for the Capture Collection

 I can't believe this year is almost over.  It's been a good year for me in the sense that I've made a concerted effort to be more 'in the moment' and to make a point to 'listen with my heart' more often.  I even shared my heart, trusting those who love me to be a keeper of my heart when I needed it the most.  Because of this, I've had some really great opportunities come my way and have connected with some great women that I don't think would have occured had I not let my heart guide me and for that, I am so very thankful.

How fitting then, that I am sharing my Bel Kai Designs necklace, the latest addition to the Capture Collection of Shutter Sisters photographic jewelry.  To celebrate, today we are giving one away.  Just leave a comment here by midnight PST and please, show us what your heart is telling you. 

(Cross posted at Everyday Heartbeats)

Update on Friday, December 3, 2010 by Chris Sneddon

I cannot begin to tell you all how touched I am by all your wonderful comments.  You are all truly beautiful souls.  Never stop listening to your heart!  Congrats to Melody, the 31st commentor, on winning the necklace. Thank you all for participating!

For the Love of Books

Where would we be without our wealth of books? On our shelves, our night stands, our coffee tables. Reading to ourselves, to our children, or being read to. Words, illustrations, pictures. Covers, sleeves, pages. Oh, our beloved books!

Ever since our very first Shutter Sisters book has been out, we've seen it on bookstore shelves, being busted out of Amazon boxes, displayed in your homes. There have been encouraging words, rave reviews, and giveaways. We cannot thank you enough for all of your support!

With all this good stuff to report, we've decided to create a little home pagefor all the links that are around the blogosphere. Have your shared your thoughts on Expressive Photography on your blog or somewhere else around the wonderfully wide web?  Please share it with us on our new Expressive Photography page here at Shutter Sisters. And if you've got a shot of the book to share, we've got a new place for those too! It's called Book Sightings and it's just for pictures of the book. All you have to do is add your images into our Flickr Pool tagged "Expressive Photography" (with the quotes) and we'll be featuring your sightings! What better way to celebrate?

And because we are focusing on the love of books of all kinds, our generous sponsor this month Focal Press has offered a number of their stellar titles to YOU for a book love giveaway day today.

All you have to do is share a comment on this post between now and Sunday 11/27 at midnight EST to be entered to win one of these photography titles from Focal Press:

Expressive Photography: A Shutter Sister Guide to Shooting from the Heart (wink wink)

The Elements of Photographyby Angela Faris Belt

Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity by Michelle Bates

Lensbaby: Bending Your Perspectiveby Corey Hiltz

The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman

Books! Books! And more books! 5 books means 5 winners! YAY! So, this post begs the question: what are your favorite books? Do tell the story!

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!

wandering

Yes, the poop stories are true. As well as most of the things that you read in newspapers or on expat blogs. And I could leave my life here in a second if given the opportunity to relocate in New York or anywhere near the beach. But every time I take a walk across the pont des Arts, or come home with a couple of warm pains au chocolat before my family wakes up, I know in my heart and in my soul, Paris will always be my home.

I am most excited today to announce the launch of my collaboration with Bel Kai designs for the Shutter Sisters Capture Collection, the Wandering necklace, now available for purchase.

Whitney and I both envisioned this necklace, which includes three of my personal Polaroid photos, as a way to wander through the streets of Paris, and to be inspired by the unique beauty of the city. Each necklace is sold with a Polaroid postcard (professionally printed on 4.3 x 5.5 inches heavy paper) to whisk you away and take you even further in your journey to the city of light.

As always, the generous Bel Kai designs is giving away one necklace. Please, share with us an image of the place that inspires you, that you call home, and leave a comment here before tomorrow Monday 23rd midnight PST to be entered in a random drawing for a necklace of your very own.

Update on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 by Irene Nam

Thank you all so much for your kind words and for sharing images of the places you call home. And congratulations to Nicci, the winner of the Wandering necklace!

Memories of Love

 

I lost my grandma Lucy one week after Mother's Day.  It wasn't unexpected and we knew the end was imminent, but that didn't make it any easier.  I'm glad that my son's have many memories of her and I don't want them to ever forget her.  More importantly, I'm glad that I made a point during the last couple of years to photograph Lucy as much as I could as well as documenting her last few months for our family.

My youngest son and Lucy had a special relationship.  He was her 'baby boy'.  When she was at her crabbiest he would sing for her and make silly jokes, getting a giggle and smile out of her when no one else could.  When she was dying I told him he didn't have to go to the hospital to see her because I knew how difficult it was, but he insisted.  I'm doing it for her, he would say, tears in his eyes, she needs me.

I had been trying to come up with ways to somehow use my photos of Lucy as sort of a memorial to her when the opportunity came to get a canvas print from Hello Canvas. I knew immediately what I was going to do.  I showed my son all the pictures I had taken of Lucy over the past couple of years and told him to pick his favorite one to be used.  When our package arrived only 5 days later, we couldn't wait to open it.  I don't know who was more excited about it, me or my son!  Once it was opened, we propped the canvas up and stood back and looked at it in awe.  It immediately brought tears to my eyes.  Mama, my son said excitedly, MeeMaw would be so happy!  Not only would Lucy be happy, my son is happy and that is everything.  Thank you, Hello Canvas, for your help in keeping the memory of Lucy alive, just as it should be.

What about you? Do you do anything special with your photos to remember those that are no longer with us? Please share with us your ideas or show us in a photo what you have done.  We'd love to see your memories of love, too. 

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Hello Giveaway! It’s random giveaway time again from our friends at Hello Canvas. YAY!

Leave a comment here between now and Thursday at midnight and you could win a 20X24 canvas of your photo of choice from Hello Canvas!  Hello, indeed!

EDITED TO ADD:

Thank you all so much for the response on this post! Hello Canvas was so touched by this conversation of Love that they are now offering 40% off all orders when you use our promo code HELLOSISTERS! HELLO!

And thank you sisters, for sharing your beautiful, sweet, warm comments with us.  You have truly touched me.