Family Photo Books

Hello strangers! I know I've been MIA lately but I just couldn't bring myself to post about pretty little projects or decor considering what was going on around me. We are very fortunate to be healthy and safe sheltering at home but the last few months have felt like a decade. Things seem to be improving - albeit at a snails pace - so I'm feeling a bit more myself these days although we have a ways to go.


So one of the few things I've been able to accomplish in this time was catching up on my annual photo books. I love these books - not only because they get our favorite photos and memories of these years out of the digital world and into our hands but also because the kids love to look at them and talk about our fun times. Especially now when we can't do as much - its nice to rehash our favorite trips and holidays.

I won't lie that a lot of time goes into pouring through all of the year's photos to cull it down to our favorites but it's so worth it!

2018

By Stefanie

2019

By Stefanie

For those that are curious, I always use Blurb for book printing. Specifically the image wrap hardcovers in 8x10 size with ProLine Pearl Photo Paper. I'm a pretty picky customer about photo printing and paper quality and have always been pleased with the outcome. My only complaint is that they slightly changed their book size at some point so they don't all line up perfectly but its the kind of thing only I would notice.

They are a little more expensive than some of the bigger companies like Shutterfly but I think their quality is worth the cost. With a discount coupon (or you could use this link to save you 30%), the cost isn't so bad.

For the record, this post isn't sponsored - I just really like their product and have been using them for 10 years so I feel very comfortable recommending them.

Say Cheese: Vintage Camera Photos Hung

Yea for artwork. I finally got around to hanging the vintage camera series prints at the shore. I think they work pretty well here - not overtly beachy but still light and bright.

You might also spot the stars I hung behind the tv. While I don't hate them, I don't love them either. I don't want to cover the entire wall with stars so I think they will probably go. Maybe I'll just hang some more photos?


A few window treatments, some storage baskets (thanks for the suggestion!), a few more pillows and a spruce up of the sideboard/entertainment center will complete this room.

The irony is that we are serious considering adding a wall in here to cordon off another bedroom.That would make this rather large living room into a tiny one but having another bedroom would be kinda awesome (hello sleepovers!). At the same time, I really love having so much space to lounge and play.  Decisions, decisions.

Photos for Sale. Get your Photos here.

You already know I have a love affair with a beautiful image but I've mostly keep that to myself.  A few years back, I sold some of my prints (the notion that an image I captured would grace a anyone's wall still thrills and honors me) but the admin was a bit of a bear.  So I've jumped on the bandwagon and switched over to Society6.

I've only added my very favorite images right now as a test.  I plan on adding more as time goes on but I wanted to let you know it was out there. You know, the whole bit about letting the universe in on your happiness..well here you go, universe.

I hope you'll take a peek around the shop. If you are in the shopping mood, you'll even get FREE SHIPPING when you click that link.

What do you think of the photos I've selected? Anything else I should add?

Annual Photobook Complete

Checking off a personal to-do, our 2014 year in review photo book is here. It's one of those things I push myself to get done by February because I know if I wait, I'll be tempted by good weather and it will fall the wayside. Starting with travel books in 2009, 2010 and 2011, it then morphed into more of a  year in review in 2012. Last year's book was supplanted by an baby's first year book since that made the most sense. Now back to a year in review style. I love having the years most important photos in physical form.



Once again I used Blurb to make my annual book - mostly because I've used them so many years now and I want the book to be the same size. Up until now I've been really pleased with the company but this year was a little bit disappointing. The book is still a good quality piece at a reasonable price but they made two changes this year I wasn't crazy about. First they changed the software which made it much more annoying to line up photos correctly. Since I use a lot of collage layouts that was a lot of spot checking and editing to get it right. Second, they changed the size slightly so now its a tiny bit longer which means the books don't line up perfectly anymore. A small annoyance but I might just look for another supplier next year. Any suggestions?

If you can't see the preview above click here to flip through our 2014

Vintage Camera Photo Series

I had this idea that I should photograph some of the old cameras I've collected over the years and blow them up as artwork. I do think they are beautiful and it gives me the ultimate reason to keep collecting but I'm not sure where to hang them.  [sidebar: prints are available in the gift shop]







I think these might be fun to put in our shore living room but obviously it's not very "beachy".  Not that everything has to be so literal but not sure if its the right spot.  What do you think?

DIY Personalized Small Camera Strap

I mentioned in this post that I'm fairly enamored with my new little camera. It needed a strap so I decided to play around with some of the materials I had around. It's the kind of project you can bang out in about an hour so it would make a fun valentines gift as well.



You'll need: a scrap piece of leather at whatever length and width you would like for your camera, 2 rivets, a short length of cord (or if your camera has d rings,  you can't attach the strap directly and skip the cord).  You'll also need to have a hammer, a metal straight edge, a rotary cutter and letter stamping set.



Cut your leather to the desired size and sheer off a little triangle at each corner. I did this all by eye since precision isn't that important but feel free to measure.




Dampen your leather with a little water and stamp whatever phrase or word you want to mark the strap with.  The water will help make the leather pick up the impression more cleanly.  I picked "click." but for valentines day I think "we just click" would be kinda perfect.  (I don't have one but this leather stamping set would be have been better than the one I used since it has a thicker letter outline.  It's going on my wishlist.)



Fold over a small portion of each end and attach your rivet.


Thread the cord through the looped end of each end of the strap and attach to the camera using a knot.



Voila!  A quick and easy way to personalize a simple camera strap for a small camera like mine.

5 Easy Tips for Better Toddler Photos with any camera

This is one of the topics I get asked about a lot! There is no more challenging photo subject than a fast moving toddler with their own ideas of what they want to do -which are usually the exact opposite of what you want them to do! So unlike other types of photography that allow you time to set up properly and then retake a photo several times until you get it right, there is no such grace in toddler photography. Much like my other inexpert guides, I am still very much a student in this subject but it seemed worthwhile to share my tips just the same.

1. Focus on the Eyes. 

 So maybe you are thinking, ‘No duh! Of course I’m focusing on the face.’ But I often find that when Agatha is moving at what feels like the speed of light, I can’t quite get her whole face in focus. If I can just get sharp focus on her eyes, the photo is still good. Of course there are compositions when you don’t want to focus on the eyes but just remembering this little tip has saved many a photo from the electronic trash bin for me. Iphone shooters – don’t rely on the auto focus – tap on the screen to get the right spot.

2. Get in close. 

 Especially useful when the house is a mess, the baby’s hair isn’t combed and she is wearing something less than photogenic, getting in tight will crop out lots of the distractions that can ruin an otherwise good photo.

3. Get near the light. 

 Unless you are outside, there is never enough light when a toddler is in full roadrunner mode. Without going into the mechanics of how a camera works, I’ll simply say that the more light you have, the faster any camera will be able to capture the shot. So that means you need light – generally more than you think you’ll need. The easiest option is to move your child near a sunny window. Short of that, turn on the lights, open the drapes, open the front door and do whatever you have to do to add more ambient light into the frame.

4. Be ready. 

 If anything is for certain, it’s that you will have half of a microsecond to get that shot of your toddler doing {insert cute thing of the day here}. Simply put: Don’t put your camera away! As much as possible, leave it within arm’s reach so you are ready when the magic happens.

5. Go low, look up. 

 I’ve seen the tip to get down low often so this one is a no brainer but there is a second important part of this tip and that’s to make sure your toddler is looking either straight into the lens or up. I find that when I do get down low to take a shot, my daughter naturally tends to look down which doesn’t make for the best photos. So be sure to do what you need to do – jangle keys, tape a favorite toy to the top of your camera – to get those peepers looking at you and not at your feet.

That’s it. I hope you find these tips helpful in improving your own little munchkin snapshots. Have any other tips you’d like to add? Please share.

Stylish Soiree with Martha Stewart and Shutterfly

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have caught one of the most fun moments of my year - getting to meet THE MARTHA STEWART in person. Yes, I can die now! If you are wondering just how I got to be standing next to Martha with a frozen expression on my face, read on...

Shutterfly asked if I would like to attend their 2014 Shutterfly by Design event followed by a cocktail party at the home of Kevin Sharkey, SVP, Executive Editorial Director of Decorating, and Executive Creative Director of Merchandising at Martha Stewart Living.Um, let me think about that for a second. Yes of course!

This was my first year there and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I have to say I was floored! Of course I’m familiar with Shutterfly for prints but I had no idea how many other products they offered beyond just photo prints. Add that to the fact that the event was styled by some pretty amazing designers, I couldn’t take it all in fast enough. Lots of inspiration here. Check it out…



Great work by everyone involved including Brit Morin, Michelle Workman, Olivia Palermo, Jennifer Hadfield, Kim Stoegbauer

Just lovely and chock full of clever ideas to be inspired by. Here are a couple of mental notes I took to share with you.



How about a wall gallery of metal prints;(yes, Shutterfly makes metal prints, who knew?) artfully displayed with LED lights? The effect was just gorgeous. Really smart and so impactful! Or using a wood print in place of a stainless steel bath caddy by placing it across a claw foot tub? Why didn’t I think of this before?

Or what about recreating a favorite antique china plate onto melamine dishware for outdoor entertaining? Yes, they make dishes too! Especially genius for those of us who scour thrift stores and always seem to find a single gorgeous plate without the rest of the set. Or what about using a wall decal on the floor as a very clever party decoration? Ok, enough gushing.  I think you get the idea.



After seeing all that goodness, it was time to shake hands and make weird expressions next to Martha Stewart.  I was so excited about it all, my brain must have malfunctioned and put an immediate stop order on the brain synapse that tells my face to smile. Despite the lack of photo evidence, TRUST -  I was dancing on the inside.

Added bonus for meeting some other talented ladies as pictured above - Kelly of Eclectically Vintage, Alana Jones-Mann & Linda Facci.

{photos courtesy of Ron Palacio}

After that red-letter moment, we were off to a cocktail party at Kevin Sharkey’s gorgeous Tribeca apartment. For the event, he put his own spin on some of the Shutterfly products using a marble pattern. For example, he created a faux marble umbrella stand using an oversized floor vase and wall decal. Then using that same decal, created an inlaid marble look on his bathroom mirror. The same pattern was repeated on pillows, curved glass prints, used as serving dishes, tableware, and notepads for a classic, timeless look.

But the fun doesn’t end there. Shutterfly has asked me to try out a few products in my own home.  Once again, the answer was a definite yes! After all the eye candy I experienced at the event, my head is swimming with ideas.

Want to give it a try?  Shutterfly is running a great buy more, get more promotion starting July 10. 50% off $100+ / 40% off $50+ / 30% off orders less than $50.  Promo code is: GETMORE

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Shutterfly and Martha Stewart but all of the opinions expressed are my own.

Family Portraits in Paris

Wrapping up from part one and two of our Paris recap, I just have one final installment.  Before we left, I booked a photoshoot for the three of us with the lovely Katie Donnelly. Agatha wasn't in the greatest of spirits that afternoon but you would never guess it thanks to Katie's personality - she has a way with kids.







I'm usually behind the camera so having good photos of all three of us is a very rare occurrence. Having a pro take some is definitely a splurge but I'm so glad we did it. As if I needed another reason to want to go back to Paris, doing this again is high on my list.  Thanks to Katie for making it so easy.

Just a Moment: Monkeys

Lately I've been terrible about working on my photography skills. Either I don't bother to bring my camera with me or I never get it out of the diaper bag. My smart phone is just too easy to fall back on but its not the same. Obviously I'm working on my toddler catching technique more than ever (and failing miserably most of the time) but I miss practicing photography on other subjects as well. I definitely feel rusty so I'm going to try to make a point of shooting more in general.


With that in mind, my only decent photo from this weekend is two random zoo monkeys. Maybe their judgmental glares will get me motivated to do better?