See you bright and early Monday morning!

I’ve been tied up with life.  Days filled with band concerts and tennis.  Photo sessions.  Driving kids here and there.  Evening walks.  Tying up loose ends at church.  (This time of year ALWAYS seems to move faster than I would like.)  I’ll be back tomorrow with an update on my friend Renee.  And a Project 365 post or two twenty.

Enjoying the sunshine and warm weather… hope you are, too.  Be back soon!

Can’t wait to share more from this sweet little family… watch for the full blog post within the next week! (Click HERE to learn more about Scarlet’s story and to see how you can help.)

Registration for the July workshop opens TODAY!  [Click HERE for details.]  If you would like to reserve a spot, just hit the “CONTACT” button on the upper right side of your screen and fill out the requested information.  I will get in touch with you ASAP to confirm availability.  (As an FYI, only FOUR spots remain!)

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And several weeks of planning.

The Everyday Photographer Workshop came to be!  And these eight ladies were the very first to attend. 

And provide essential feedback.  I learned a few things myself today:

1.  I need to incorporate more hands-on time.
2. A smaller class size would allow me to better address individual needs.
3.  I need to fine-tune the current workbook/curriculum.

I will be making a few changes based on what I learned and posting them Wednesday when registration opens for the July workshop.

Thanks SO MUCH to all of you who took part in this very big day!!!!!!

It’s finally here!!!!!  The very first Everyday Photographer Workshop takes place THIS WEEKEND!  And I can’t wait to share oodles of information (and goodies!) with the ladies.  [And hopefully remember to capture of few images to post here as well!] 

And for those interested in attending the next workshop, registration details will be posted on Wednesday.  If you have any questions, let me know!

Taking another social media break this weekend.  Got a very special session with a very special family, a meeting with the sweetest bride-to-be, and the Everyday Photographer Workshop – all right around the corner.  I want to make the most of what little time I have this weekend, so I’ll be signing off until Monday! 

Have a super, snow-free (let’s hope) weekend!

[The photo above, by the way, was taken last night - April 18, 2013!  SO.NOT.RIGHT.]

Despite the dreariness outside, I have somehow managed to remain inspired inside.  Perhaps even BECAUSE of the dreariness!  Instead of focusing on the April snow showers, I have been intentional about filling my thoughts with things that fire me up.

Doing things that fire me up.

After a year in the making, I finally [FINALLY] have a clear vision for my photography business!  This was a process I began last spring with a new blog, logo, and packaging.  Then the introduction of the Everyday Session format.  And the Everyday Photographer Workshop.  I began by following my heart… which reminded me of why I started all of this in the first place:

To capture more than just a photograph.  To capture joy, hope, and love.  To capture life FULLY.  Real life.

Embracing life is my mantra; finding beauty even when conventional wisdom screams there is none.  Because when I changed the lens through which I viewed my own life so many years ago, it changed me.  Instead of viewing life as a soap opera full of tragedy and conflict, I began to look at my story from a new perspective. 

The “ugliness” became a catalyst, a necessary part of who I am today.  Leading to beauty unimaginable through a relationship with Christ.  And I found purpose and meaning in the broken places because of it.

Much like the butterfly with its cocoon.

So I am on a quest.  A quest to appreciate life in its entirety.  A quest to help others view their lives through a diffferent lens and embrace their unique story.  To help others discover purpose and meaning in the hope that they, too, will be surprised by beauty.

[Keep your eyes peeled for a whole lotta changes taking place on my photography website over the course of the next month, including new session formats and pricing!]

On my way home from the scrapbooking retreat, I noticed something wrong with the van.  Made an appointment for it yesterday and $1,300 later (ouch.) we are back to a smoooooooth ride.

The van repair, coupled with a shattered iPhone screen Sunday night, has made this a very expensive Spring Break.  And we haven’t even gone anywhere!!!

Today is my first REAL day back in the saddle and I’m having trouble staying focused.  Caught up in all manner of procrastinating.  Doing everything but the thing I really need to be doing, which is finishing up the Everyday Photographer Workshop workbook. 

Speaking of which, registration details for the next workshop will be posted on May 1st.  The first workshop filled in a matter of days so if you are looking to attend the next (Saturday, July 20th), be sure to register as soon as it opens!

I hosted our first ever mini workshop at the 2013 Spring Weekend Scrapbooking Retreat and had so much fun watching things click into place for the ladies.  And it was only a taste of what’s to come at the full-on Everyday Photographer Workshop in April.

I can’t wait for the April workshop!

For those of you who attended the mini workshop last weekend, I would love for you to share a bit about the experience as a comment to this post so others could gain insight into the next workshop.  Thank you, thank you!!!

I am so glad no one is around to see me in action.

Day 8/365 :: lunch date

Day 9/365 :: saying goodbye

Day 10/365 :: photo excursion

Day 11/365 :: our thing

Day 12/365 :: mexican pastries

Day 13/365 :: peeking through the curtains

Day 14/365 :: a sick day

Click HERE for Week 1 in case you missed it.  This week was a blur and I was tempted more than once to leave my camera behind. 

Glad I didn’t.

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Friday afternoon. A beautiful day and several texture-filled locations.  What began as a ride-along with a friend, turned into a fun photo walk.

Glad you thought to call me, Cindy. Thanks for the fun diversion! 

Which means NOW is the time to whip up a batch of Lucky Charms cupcakes.

Or Lucky Charms ice cream.

Or if cooking isn’t your thing, you could always run over to Nadia Cakes for an Irish Car Bomb cupcake, Cupcake in Minneapolis for a Luck of the Irish Cream Mocha, Muddy Paws for a slab of Irish Cream Cheesecake, or Blue Door Pub for an Erin Go Blucy.

Or you could just go buy a big jug of THIS and be done with the whole thing:

[Be sure to stop by my blog next Sunday to see the rest of the images from our holiday-inspired photo session!]

The munchkins.  My uncle’s funeral.  Some health issues with our youngest.  And now it’s Friday.  I have a busy day ahead sorting through the PILES on my desk  and my LAST Creative Memories order; turns out I deactivated after all.  The boys are both home from school today – which always makes for stellar working conditions.  Final tax and retreat preparations are looming.  And to top it all off, I am feeling quite hormonal.

Joy.

Good news is, I have THIS and THIS in my cabinet in case of emergency.

Be back later with this week’s edition of 5 Fun Things Friday!

Day 1/365 :: birthday gift to myself

Day 2/365 :: instax bling

Day 3/365 :: a beautiful gift from a faithbooking friend

Day 4/365 :: bathroom art at The Coffee Shop Northeast

Day 5/365 :: still looks like a winter wonderland

Day 6/365 :: coconut almond w/mini chocolate chips

Day 7/365 :: in the wee hours of a snow day

The camera went EVERYWHERE this week in an effort to break myself of the iPhone habit.    The photo project made me more aware of my surroundings at all times, I even spotted a gem of an indoor location for the future!  I pulled my camera out a few times each day and realized on average, it takes me about five shots before I really “see” what I am trying to capture.  (I know when something grabs me but am not always sure how to approach it.)  Only one week in and I am clearly feeling the benefits!

And as I did FIVE YEARS AGO, I will be embarking on another year-long daily photo project… starting today!  But instead of posting my photo daily as I did FIVE YEARS AGO, I will be sharing them weekly.  In a clump.  My goal for this project is to “step outside the box” by challenging myself to take on new subjects.  New surroundings.  New equipment.  New lighting.  New perspectives.  It is so very easy to settle into a routine of “what works” instead of trying things that might NOT work.

So that’s my goal.

I hope you will find inspiration to step outside of your own photo comfort zone as well!

The moon last night was MAGNIFICENT yet in this image appears quite miniscule.  I knew I would never be able to to it justice sitting in traffic with a 50mm lens.  But I had to at least try.

Yeah, might need to beef up my nightscape skills before trying that again.  Ouch.