Supplies: Hand saw, wooden spools, sandpaper

Step 1: Slowly saw a slit in the spool. Getting it started is the hardest part, go slow. Once you get past the edges it cuts very easily. There is probably a way to do this on a power saw, but I was too worried about cutting off my finger….and a hand saw fits in the house where it is air conditioned.

Step 2: Saw all the way to the middle and make the opening large enough to fit the mounted photos. Sand the wood down.

Vintage Wooden Spool Photo holders….one more way to avoid shopping with your kids when you need to display a photo! Of course you have to have wooden spools on hand!

Chris came home and didn’t notice the spools, but when I put a sweet potato on display he noticed that. I grow potatoes inside better than houseplants. I got the paperback book display from my grandpa’s neighbor. She was using it to hold books for a garage sale and told me she wouldn’t sell it. I mentioned my grandpa was her next door neighbor. The next time I was at my grandpa’s he said, “My neighbor left a piece of junk by the garage for you. Take it or I am throwing it away.” Score. My aunt made me a lap quilt…I love it.

And just because it is annoying to me to see glimpses of things and not the whole area….our new shelves (inspired by Anne-Claire Rohe’s). I am not done filing them…someday.

We are getting ready to take THIS on an 8 hour plane ride:

Well we’re taking THAT plus a non-stop busy body of a little girl. The Target dollar section is helping me stock up on goods for the trip.

It will just be Chris and I with these 4 travelers:

I am pretty sure the boys will sit still and be content for 8 hours of air travel if it means they get to play video games and watch movies. We were planning on taking a portable dvd player and a bunch of disks. Guess that is old school. A friend told us we could fill iphones or itouches with movies and games….which among our friends we can round up that many old versions. So each kid is going to get a currently unused iphone filled with movies and games. Genius. So much smaller and easy to pack than a dvd player and disks. I am so behind the times. We are looking into some new apps for the kids. A blog reader pointed out the apps-jr store to me. We are trying out the Match-a-Roo Zoo. It is too simple for our 6 year old, but it is designed for preschoolers anyway. The 2 & 4 year old are still checking it out. I like the graphics, they like the animal noises.

I usually only do one giveaway a week, but who doesn’t like the chance to win something? This time it won’t be a random winner. I have 5 codes for Match a Roo Zoo to pass on, but I am picking the winners. I will not show favor to friends, but I won’t exclude friends either. Here’s the details:

Contest ends Friday, Sept. 3rd 9:00pm US Central

5 winners will receive a promo code to get a copy of Match-a-Roo Zoo from the apps-jr store

Winners will be my favorite 5 comments

In the comment section give me some type of advice for enduring an 8 hour plane ride with a 6, 4, 2 and 1 year old

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and it totally unrelated news (other than marrying him led to the plane traveling with 4 kids)

]]> http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2010/09/01/travel-tips/feed/ 117 http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2010/09/01/a-psa-for-the-local-tulsa-crowd-and-facebookers/ http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2010/09/01/a-psa-for-the-local-tulsa-crowd-and-facebookers/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:06:31 +0000 AshleyAnn http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/?p=6733 “Facebookers” is that even a word? I probably made it up. Chris likes to make up words. He is rubbing off on me. Since I have a blog it is nice to use it for things more important that craft projects from time to time. So I wanted to briefly mention two things going on in Tulsa for you local readers:

1. Kohl’s Cares is donating $500,000 dollars to 20 winning schools. The Tulsa school The Little Light House is in the running. The Little Light House focuses on improving the quality of life for children with special needs and empowering their families and community. If you are on Facebook you can cast a vote for The Little Light House. I am not on facebook, so I am not sure exactly all the details, but here is a link to the voting.

2. For you local artists/crafters/etsy sellers The Holiday Market is a local crafter’s fair set up. They are looking to spice things up with more originality and creative goodness this year. Why do I want to support a crafter’s fair….admission proceeds go towards Clean Slate! The event takes place on Nov. 6th 9am-4pm. If you are interested in being a vendor contact Bridget at {BrockBr at tulsaschools dot org}

Two years ago I was juggling too many roles. I reached a point where I was just getting by in every area of my life, but never feeling like I was doing anything well. I was worn thin. I wasn’t the wife, mom, friend or me I wanted to be. I was constantly running. I was disappearing. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Something had to give. When we started my business we did it in such a way that we never lived off any of my income. We lived like a one income family so that I could stop at any point without the extra burden of financial loss. Two years ago when something in my life had to give, it was my portrait photography business. I have never for one moment regretted that decision.

I began teaching photography (SnapShops) at that point and this blog took a new direction. I contemplated ending this blog because I was no longer posting portrait sessions and posts started being more about my random life with kids. I figured no one would ever want to read any of that, then Meg left this comment, “who doesn’t like personal posts?! this is YOUR blog. i like personal posts!” So I kept blogging.

Now I blog about things we do as a family like hiking. Since I am no longer doing portrait sessions or weddings that means I am no longer committed in the evenings or on weekends. That also means I can pack up the swagger wagon at a moment’s notice and head out for hiking with the fam.

No longer juggling the demands of a business lets me fully live in the moments with my kids. Some parents can do both with ease and success. I could not.

I spend so much time chasing kids (one little girl in particular) that I can’t fathom summing up the energy to chase other kids for portrait sessions!

Do I plan on starting again anytime soon? Nope. Ever? Right now it doesn’t look like it.

I obviously love photography and it is a HUGE part of my life. I pretty much don’t let a day pass without picking up my camera. Do I miss my clients? Yes. Do I get jealous when I see their pictures on other photographers blogs? You bet! Do I regret my decision? Nope.

Taking a break from the demands of a business has been refreshing for me. I no longer feel like I can’t breathe.

It is like a dip in a fresh Oklahoma creek after a good hike.

In this refreshing period I have discovered I like blogging and I like teaching. For instance, the photo above was taken in manual settings. The photo below was taken on the fully automatic mode. She had just dunk her face in the ice cold water. It is a cute shot, but would have been better shot in manual. I like that a couple of times a year I can help others learn more about their cameras.

This time away from the business of photography has allowed me to get creative in other areas again as well. I am getting ready to take Red Velvet Art’s Small Craft online class. I can’t wait. Have you seen the teaser pictures for it? Just in case you haven’t look at this:

Rachel and Elsie are the teachers….such fun style. Christmas is coming up and with 4 kids the birthday party craziness is beginning. I can’t wait to learn some fun stuff for my kids and to use as gifts. SO SO SO EXCITED! It gets better. Rachel and Elsie said I could invite one of you to join me. It is online, so not like we are driving to class together, but how fun! So do you want to join the class? You don’t need to be a parent to do this class. All my local friends that NEVER comment…you better this post! I could never pick, so I’m going to do it giveaway style…here’s the details:

Prize: Participation for one in the RVA Small Craft online class

Contest ends Friday, Sept. 3rd 9:00pm US Central

One entry per person, winner chosen at random

To enter: Leave a comment on this post telling me about the best class you have ever taken.

(if you want to comment on this post, but are unable to virtually attend the class just make a note of that in the comment)

The August SnapShop took place a little over a week ago. Texas was well represented…if all Texans are like the ladies that came, well Texas must be pretty great. FireCracker is the exact opposite of anti-social. She did a little indoor modeling for us. Half the ladies crammed into her small room. During the course of the day we discussed lenses and I realized that most of you reading this blog probably think the rooms in my home are really big. They aren’t, but I use a wide angle lens to be able to capture the whole room in one frame. Our house is around 1,500 square feet…to give you a perspective.

Some of the gals mentioned they were about as excited to see my house in person as they were to learn photography. I often wonder after people come to a SnapShop if they leave a little down…like the bubble that I am really cool and my house is amazing got burst!

Photo Tip: If you do interior design or are in an industry where you need to capture interiors – you need a wide angle lens. Does anyone remember the movie Sabrina with Julia Ormond…she made interior photography seem so romantic. Love that movie...it could quite possibly be my all time favorite.

It was HOT! This sweet little thing was going to model with her baby sister, but the baby wasn’t feeling so well. Good thing I have 4 kids…always got a few models on hand.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Here’s some that a few of the students have sent me….I love the composition of so many of these pictures. And the baby in the tutu…she’s cute.

Remember, for nearly all of these ladies this was a first time for shooting in fully manual mode (outside session). That is hard to do in just one day! I do not do any editing to the student pictures, they are posted just as they send them to me. Some students opt to do a little editing themselves, some do not.

Photos below by Dana D.

He wasn’t really modeling for us, but snuck by with his daddy for a bit.

Photos below by Jaclyn M.

Photos below by Lindsay M.

Photos below by Lydia P.

Photos below by Sarah W.

I am doing one more SnapShop this year. It will be in September and it is booked. I will not being doing anymore in person until next Spring. I do plan on launching SnapShops online in early 2011. To get a heads up on SnapShop dates and the online version you can sign up for my newsletter (there is a link at the top of the blog by the picture of the Sycamore tree).

SnapShop Sponsors:

If you have a photography related business and are interested in being a SnapShop sponsor, contact me via the contact button on this blog.

]]> http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2010/08/30/august-snapshop-tulsa-photography-class/feed/ 19 http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2010/08/30/giveaway-winner-shabby-chic-crafts/ http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2010/08/30/giveaway-winner-shabby-chic-crafts/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:00:16 +0000 AshleyAnn http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/?p=6685

Julianna enjoy your $35.00 store credit to Shabby Chic Crafts….everyone else, you may not have a gift certificate, but you can still stock up on cuteness!

I also like the word “cartwheels’ in the title. I actually kind of wish my blog had the name Cartwheels in My Mind. Oh well. Speaking of cartwheels, my friend asked the gym owner of my son’s preschool if I could have MY birthday there this year. He said I couldn’t. Evidently adults get hurt easily and the insurance needed for adult gymnastic birthday parties is pretty pricey. Thanks for trying Mel. The pic below was taken 5 years ago (trapeze lessons were a bday present from Chris)…but I would like to post it again because #1 It validates my belief that I could do the trampoline without hurting myself and #2 It gives me false hope that there is still a gymnast somewhere inside me…or at least a trapeze artist…not a trapeze crafter.

I remember promising myself as a teenager that I would never lose my splits. Never. If I don’t ever try to do them again I will never know if they are lost or not. I feel old now. And the whole point of my rambling this morning is that I am being interviewed over at Cartwheels In My Mind today. Read the interview here.

In other news, I am so far behind responding to questions in the comment sections that I am waving the white flag and admitting defeat. If you have something you’ve been waiting to hear back from me on, ask away in the comments of this post. I won’t promise to answer all of them, but I’ll try. If your question has to do with the fabric flowers I made recently…I will not be posting a tutorial. You can beg Julie to post one or better yet ask her to make one for you…mine were just a lame attempt at hers anyways!

Go check out my interview….leave a comment and let me know what you think…and ask away here….

Since I originally posted this, the interview went live as a “Designer Interview”…crafter, artist, designer…who knows what I am!

Secondly, I am never EVER EVER going to catch up on the questions asked in the comment sections of this blog. More on that tomorrow.

Thirdly, have I mentioned how grateful I am for photography? How about how grateful I am to Chris that he supported me when I wanted a ‘fancy’ camera?

Finally, a few random pictures from around here…and some notes on these pictures…

I woke up early one morning to a gorgeous sunrise…this was the view out my backdoor. It was a good way to start the day. * My neighbor is building a soccer field, until then we have ample room for playing and driving in dirt. * My compost pile has been taken over by BSF larvae. It freaked me out a first, my dad came over to help me figure out why the whole bin was squirming. Thankfully my friend Kim let me know everything was okay. * FireCracker and Sweet Pea have feet almost the same length…we attempted a shot of them both in their Gracious May booties…”attempted” would be the key word. * Big Brother can switch his attitude in no time flat…not wanting his pic taken to posing. He is wearing the jig shirt I mentioned a while back I wanted to get him. It is avaiator shades and says “Skywalker” – he likes to be called that. * Our living room chalkboard is being relocated outside. I haven’t hung it yet, so it is on the deck and getting lots of coloring on. And that is a bit of what is happening here.

Photo Tip: I used Totally Rad Actions (Grandma’s Tap Shoes and Oh, Snap!) to edit these. The blog board template is from Design Aglow.

So going along the same lines as I mentioned in the joy post yesterday, comes this post. The same day our friend spoke on joy he also said one way to combat grumbling and complaining in your life is to say thank you to 5 people each day before lunch. Sounds simple enough if you are actually around 5 people other than your kids during the course of a day! I liked the practical idea of it though, so the boys and I decided to pick one person each to give a special “thank you” gift. Not thanking them for something they have done for us, but just a simple thank you for being them and making our lives better because they are in it.

Our zinnias are almost out of control and they make such pretty cut flowers, so we made simple little vases out of bottles. We don’t really drink much pop, but I bought the Crush for a different project I had seen on one of your blogs…now I can’t remember where. The project was of 6 bottles tied cutely together with flowers inside as a centerpiece. If that is you, leave a comment and let me kmow! Goo Gone is the best at removing hard to get off stuff from glass.

We also used scrap fabric and scrapbooking labels for our tags/notes.

I let each boy pick out the label of their choice and the fabric of their choice.

They also got to pick out their flowers.

The vases turned out really cute. If you are wondering about the Yoda picture below, well it is semi-related to this post. The company that I used for the labels makes all kinds of scrapbooking supplies. I love to send notes with the boys in their lunch boxes, but to be honest sometimes it is hard to come up with something different to write each day.  This year I’ve been using the alphabet tags to help me come up with something new each day. The boys like seeing what word I’ll come up with each day to describe them.

And as you probably guessed….the scrapbooking company, Shabby Chic Crafts is offering a giveaway today. Here is a peek at some of their stuff:

Giveaway Details:

Prize is a $35.00 store credit to Shabby Chic Crafts

One entry per person, winner chosen at random

Contest ends Friday, August 27th 10pm US Central

To enter: In the comment section of this post tell me 5 people you could thank today (whether in person, mail, email, text)

“Happiness is a symptom of circumstance, joy is a product of perspective.” I’ve been thinking about that a lot.

FireCracker returned from my parent’s house and my mom had dressed her in one of my old rompers. I was attempting to get some pictures of her in it, but she discovered Littlest Brother’s toy phone. Her circumstances made her very happy.

When Littlest Brother discovered her with his phone, her circumstances changed. She was very unhappy.

He decided to share. Her circumstances changed.  She got what she wanted. She was happy.

Then it was his turn.

We’ve had a lot of grumbling, arguing and complaining around here lately. A lot of big and little people who are happy or not happy based on if circumstances are in their favor or not. Biggest Brother brought home an “Ugly Jar” from church. For one week anytime anyone in the house argues or complains they have to make a monetary deposit in the Ugly Jar. Being the non-conformist I am, I couldn’t bear the Ugly Jar on the counter so Biggest Brother agreed to let me ‘De-Ugly’ it. I have a feeling that jar is going to be very heavy at the end of the week. The jar says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing. Phil. 2:14” (label from here)

Later that night my friend Lars made the comment, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately too. I consider myself a pretty joyful person. I don’t struggle that often with comparison. However, as I think about joy this week I have noticed that when joy seems to vanish in my own life it is usually related to comparison. I don’t want anything stolen in my life…especially joy.