Hello everyone! I’m soooo excited to bring you our first guest interview on the Shabby Shoppe Blog!  This week we’re excited to have Sarah Cornish, the incredibly talented artist behind My Four Hens Photography.  If you haven’t seen Sarah or her work before, you’re in for a huge treat!  She’s crazy talented and oh-so-sweet!  From scrapbooking to photography and photo actions, her work is GORGEOUS!  And you won’t believe the goodies she brought to share with us today! Want a chance to win a $100 gift card to Sarah’s store? yeah, I thought so…read on to learn more!! :)

Sarah Cornish

1.  Were you a photographer first, or a scrapbooker?  How did you get your
start in the digi world?
I started my journey into photography as just a child and my love has
continued to bloom through the years. I bought my Canon S3is (not a dslr
but had a manual mode) when my younger son (now 4) was 6 weeks old and
started to pace myself but take more and more of a serious interest. Over
time I began to update my equipment little by little. I bought my Canon
Rebel xti when my son Noah was a little over a year old and started
scrapbooking around the same time. I was definitely still in hobbyist mode
but I had serious goals in place! I took things very slow as I also delved
into the amazing digital scrapbooking community and have tried hard to
juggle both. Unfortunately the scrapbooking has had to take a back seat to
the photography but I am determined to find a way to really marry the two
and find a good balance! I have just recently applied for my business
license and decided to go professional and am finally building my portfolio -
yay!!

I am a total creative soul! My great grandfather was an amazing painter
and though he passed away before I really had an recollection of him I
often wonder if I get that from him! I think my “style” would more or less
be softer and more romantic and whimsical! I am inspired by absolutely
everything from my sweet children to the colors in my surroundings,
magazine articles and ads, fellow photographers and scrapbookers. There is
just so much inspiration to be had!

Ha! When I figure it out I will be sure to let ya know LOL!  Honestly I
just try to get down to their level (and by that I mean stooping down so I
can make eye contact when I talk to them) and befriending them from the
start. I try to keep things moving along so that they don’t get bored or
restless and I ask a ton of questions so I can bring it up during my
sessions. Things like what is your favorite TV character go a long way
because you have no idea how much a kid loves to go on and on about their
fave character LOL! I got through one of my latest sessions by singing the
Dora theme song with the most adorable 4 year old I have ever met LOL!
(besides my own of course!)

I think with all things photography one of the best ways to spice a page
up is to not be afraid of experimentation! I always try to put a little
extra TLC into my photo editing because I feel like it really brings a
little extra something something to my scrap pages. I also like to edit my
photos so they are cohesive with the colors in my scrapbook page. It doesn’t
have to be matchy matchy of course! Just have a nice flow to everything!

Okay so this is embarrasing but I don’t have a really good organization
system at all LOL! That is something I REALLY need to work on and I am
totally up for suggestions lol!! I do back up as regularly as possible! I
am currently looking to a good web based server I can store everything on
to be double covered though! I also plan on buying an extra ehd (external hard drive)! You can
never be to safe!

Oh my goodness my fav?? LOL That is SO insanely hard! Well I might have a
couple of favs but I will try to keep it short and sweet LOL! This is one
of my absolute favorites!

Its just my daughter doing what she loves to run around barefoot and point at
everything she sees lol! But I am so into creative cropping! I love images
that tell a story and I really feel like this one speaks volumes to me!
I also really love this one

because it was my first real photo session with a newborn and I was scared out of my
mind but I fell in love with the images! It made me feel kind of like I
accomplished something big!! Kind of one of those aha! moments for me!

I think one of the best places for installation instructions or just for
information in general on using them is Erin from Texas Chic’s Blog! She
has such a wealth of information and is so generous with it! She has even
given me some lovely suggestions on how to improve my elements Photoshop
actions which I full intend to take advantage of in the very near future!
You can find her here.

I LOVE to read!! I am a total book worm. I could seriously read my way
through the dictionary lol! Yeah now that you know I am a nerd! Honestly my
number one besides God is my family! We are very family oriented so
everything we do we generally do together. We go everywhere together. We
seldom go out. We are just very laid back and easy going people around
here!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about Sarah!  And as a special treat for the Shabby Shoppe Blog readers, she has generously shared SEVERAL goodies with us!  first is this GORGEOUS set of Photoshop/PSE actions – FREE!

Download these gorgeous actions now!

Feeling up for a challenge??  Put these actions to use and show us your before/after images!  Upload a simple LO that shows your before and after images to the Shabby Shoppe Gallery, add a comment to this post that links to your LO, and you’ll be entered into the random drawing to win a $100 gift card to Sarah’s store! Be sure to do both steps  (upload and comment here with a link to your LO) to be entered.  You must post your comment here by 11:59 PM (CST) on Wednesday 5/19 to be eligible to win.  We will randomly select a winner from all of the valid entries.  The winner will be announced on Thursday, 5/20!  Here’s a sample entry layout I created with these beautiful actions!  (note: you don’t have to include all of the actions, but you must include at least one!)

And finally – Sarah has generously provided a HUGE coupon for Shabby Shoppe customers!!  Use coupon code Royal50 when you check out to receive 50% off!!  This sale only lasts through the end of May, so be sure to visit Sarah’s store soon to discover easy ways to enhance your photos! (below those gorgeous photos on Sarah’s store front you’ll see listings of all the actions available!  freebies, bundles, PSE compatible actions, etc! click on one of those categories to get started!)

Here are all the links one more time!

• Download Sarah’s FREE actions
• Visit Sarah’s site! (Use coupon code ROYAL50 for 50% off through the end of May!)
• And don’t forget to upload your entry by midnight 5/19 to be entered to win a $100 gift card to Sarah’s store!

Thanks for stopping by today!  We hope you enjoyed getting to know Sarah a little better, and we can’t wait to see you try these gorgeous actions out on YOUR photos!

BeckiePhotography, Special Guests, Uncategorized 60 Comments

Hello everyone!  Beckie here!

Every two weeks we’ll bring you tips to improve your photos.  Like this week, some will be basic and emphasize the non-equipment related things you can do to capture your memories.  Others will be more advanced, introducing everyone to the incredible potential offered by digital SLR cameras!

Regardless of your experience level or type of camera, here are some handy tips for getting the best photos out of every opportunity!

1.  Control the lighting!

If you’ve ever read much about the art of photography, you’ll find it described as the art of capturing light.  Proper lighting is critical to producing a good photo!  We’ll save the topic of “exposure” for a later post, but for now – let’s look at some examples to show you how to take control of lighting to produce results you’ll be pleased with!

• Indirect sunlight is best.  Full sun results in extreme shadows that don’t flatter adults, and can often result in those unfortunate squinty faces in your subjects.  Step under a porch, under a tree, or better yet – wait for the sun to duck behind the clouds!  In fact…take a look at this photo:

Would you ever have guessed that it was actually overcast and even raining a little when I took it?   If you try taking pictures on an overcast day, read your camera manual to learn how to set your White Balance to “cloudy”.

• Position yourself between the source of light and your subject.  I staged this series of photos below to show you how simply putting myself between this little bouquet of roses and the window, leaving ALL other settings the same, illustrates how easy it is to put available lighting to work for you!

This little area in our living room is the ONLY portion of our downstairs that has decent enough lighting for good photos – so I often plop the kids down here when I want to take indoor pictures. Sometimes I even step outside the patio door and take pictures of the kids inside (to get enough distance between us for a good photo).  Whatever works! LOL!

2.  Take a variety of photos to tell the story!

• Here I wanted to capture my son’s excitement over a new toy.  He was so excited by the sheer size of the box – nearly as big as he was! So I wanted a photo of him with the box.  In my journaling I’ll include a bit about how he kept trying to carry it through the store!  I also have a close-up of the little train car itself.  The bright, saturated colors from the train just make me happy and scream “FUN!”.  And finally, my son’s happy, smiling face is critical.  He was SO excited to get this toy, and I just love the pure happiness captured here in his face!

• For events and activities, plan out your photos ahead of time.  This may sound like overkill – but how often have you been disappointed to realize that you didn’t get a photo of Aunt Sally (who NEVER travels) at the family holiday party?  Or missed the opportunity to get three generations of the family together in one photo?  A little thought ahead of time will spare you the regret of these missed opportunities!  Some specifics to consider:
  • Special attendees.  The elderly, the young, and any “unusual” guests should always be on your list.
  • Family relationships.  Is there a unique opportunity to capture all the women in the family in one photo? How about multiple generations?  My family has an annual reunion in Mississippi every year. Although I don’t usually scrapbook the pictures, I do try to get a photo of each complete “family” to have as a record.
  • The Details.  Often, for any type of party, someone spent a lot of time, effort (and possibly money!) on the little details.  The cake, the decorations, the balloons, the carefully prepared trays of food.  Any time I attend a party or a shower, I always make rounds through the gathering to record the gorgeous details before they’re gone!  I snapped these photos within 5 minutes of arriving at a baby shower a few weeks ago:

  

  • Special events.  Depending on the occasion, there are some major events that you don’t want to miss!  a new bride tossing the bouquet, a birthday boy opening a much anticipated present – the kids putting cookies out for Santa.  Just think about the occasion and consider the most important events and determine which ones you need to capture.

Create a list and keep it in your pocket.  Peek at it right before you arrive and then again about half way through. The idea is to be more aware of what you want to capture, but not to the extent that you’re so focused on a list that you don’t enjoy yourself!

3.  Photograph what inspires you!

I ALWAYS have my camera with me.  I take pictures of clothing or upholstery that I love (great inspiration for future layouts!).   Home decor, party foods, etc – beautiful things that inspire me! If you use software to organize or categorize your photos, create a special key word or tag – “inspiration” and put it on photos of things you love.  And then look back and enjoy your photos when you need a creative boost! (oh, and after a while you hardly notice the strange looks you get from everyone when you’re photgraphing a bowl of salad in perfect window lighting at the dinner table! LOL!)

4.  Cut the clutter…sometimes!

Professional photographers get gorgeous results by controlling every aspect of what is in the frame for each shot.  Most of the time, the best photos are those with a clear and obvious subject!  you can do this through in-camera crop, which means that you “zoom in” on only that subject matter that is important to you.  Often, however, we’re so busy (and hopefully caught up having fun!) that sometimes you’ll need to crop the image later, before you use it.  This photo of a band playing on the street in New Orleans is a good example of how a subtle crop can provide a huge improvement!

There are times, however, where the “clutter” helps to provide context.  I have photos that I’ve taken of the kids playing in the driveway with our cars in the background that I’ve intentionally left whole; I love the idea of them looking back and laughing at “that old car” one day.  I even leave many photos taken within our house un-cropped, as all that background clutter (toys, clothes, etc) is a little mini time capsule!

Well, that’s it for today! I hope you found this first installment of Focus on Photos helpful!  Everyone have a wonderful WEDNESDAY!!

BeckiePhotography, Uncategorized 11 Comments

I’m so excited to bring you this weeks Product Spotlight! I was having a hard time picking just one, but as my husband and I were looking through old pictures the other night,  I stumbled on a series of photos I had taken of my daughter in her rain jacket a couple years ago. The funny thing is, I had actually taken those photos to go with the Twirl kit when it first came out and I had never scrapped them!

What I love most about this kit {besides the colors, of course} are the stickers. I believe Twirl, along with the Bounce Collection, were among the first kits that Shabby Princess started including doodles and stickers. All her kits are fabulous, but I have often thought that this kit is where she “found” and really started developing her own unique style.

In case Twirl isn’t a part of your scrapbook collection yet,  – you can grab it this week for 25% off

Here is my newest layout featuring the Twirl Collection:

And here is a gorgeous new layout by Shabby Princess

Be sure to check out more amazing layouts using the Twirl Collection in the Gallery.

Also be sure to check out our Twirl Piece-A-Cake Albums and Blogwear in the shop!

{Click on images to take you to The Shoppe}

{Only the Twirl Kit is on sale this week. Albums and Blogwear are NOT on sale}

Finally, don’t forget about our TEMPLATE CHALLENGE! You have until May 22nd to enter. We are loving all the layouts entered so far and are so glad you are enjoying the template!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a FANTASTIC day!

NicoleProduct Spotlight, Uncategorized 6 Comments

Hi guys…SP here :o)

Can you believe that summer is just around the corner?  Here in the states…it starts on June 20/21st and we are already preparing for the fun season ahead!  School is almost out…the days are getting hotter (and longer)…and so it’s time to think SUMMER!  lol!  I thought I’d share some of our favorite ‘things’ to have around for this season – maybe you’ll find something that will make your summer more fun (or at least more bearable lol)!  So, here goes!

OLD NAVY FLIP FLOPS – seriously…I can’t (or won’t lol) tell you how many pairs of these little flip flops we have at our house!  First…they are INEXPENSIVE!  Second…they come in a gazillion colors!  and Third…they aren’t half bad lol!  And…they even have patterned flip-flops, too!  They are just fun and easy and are perfect by the pool…at the beach…or just running a quick errand!  I love wearing a pair of denim shorts…a bright t-shirt…and matching flip flops!  How quick and easy is that for just running around during the summer?!  Love them and wouldn’t be without them!  (they also come in metallic…and don’t forget – they come in sizes for the entire family)!

SUN PROTECTION!  I realize this is a no-brainer…we all need to wear sunscreen and protect ourselves from the part of the sun that is harmful (not just during summer – but all year)!  However, as someone with super sensitive skin (and even more sensitive EYES) – I have struggled with sunscreen all my life!  I can’t be in the sun for five minutes without burning – so this is a daily issue for me lol!  I have tried just about every sunscreen available (from drugstore brands to the most expensive…desperate to find something that didn’t irritate and sting my skin) – and have finally found the PERFECT line of sunscreens for me.  Just about anytime I need something for sensitive skin – CLINIQUE comes through for me!  I can wear their sunscreens with ZERO burning/stinging on my skin…and best of all – no stinging eyes!  I know that this brand is a little more expensive than what you find at the drugstore…but for me – I simply cannot use those…so what good do they do me?  lol!  Now…my husband (who does NOT have sensitive skin or eyes lol)…he does not get to use my sunscreen LOL!  He gets the drugstore brand and it works great for him.  But, me and the little man (he seems to have inherited my skin sensitivity) – we only use Clinique!  And, if you do get too much sun – they make a great AFTER SUN rescue balm that is a huge help and relief (we make sure we always have it on hand). So, I hope this might help someone else who is tired of dealing with sunscreens that burn and sting!  Of course…no matter what brand you go with – please be sure to protect your skin :o)

While we are on the subject of SUN PROTECTION…I have to quickly tell you how much I love these sun/rash guard shirts from LAND’S END!  If you spend a lot of time in the water during the summer…whether it is the lake, beach, pool…or just in the back yard – these are a MUST!  It takes out so much of the ‘worry’ about spending a bunch of time in the sun.  My son and I both wear these most of the time we are in the water during the summer and they are NOT bad lol!  I know…ya look at them and think – UGH…I do not want to wear a long sleeve ‘shirt’ in the water!  I know…but these are really not like that.  The fabric is very comfy and dries SUPER fast.  It doesn’t weigh you down in the water either.  I love that I can stay out in the water a little longer without having to constantly re-apply sunscreen to my neck, shoulders and arms!  Just added peace-of-mind!  And, of course – it’s even better for the kids – because if yours are anything like mine…getting them to STOP playing long enough to apply more sunscreen is a CHORE lol!  Anyway – I really can’t recommend these enough :o)

So, I know that CANDLES AND SMELLS are not really summer necessities LOL…but I had to share this fragrance with you :o)  I love smells and love for my house to smell great – but we do not burn candles.  So – I love yankee candle’s electric air fresheners and have them all over the place lol!  We also have a tart warmer on my desk so when I’m working – I can have a yummy smell right there lol!  My husband always tells me that I have superhero strength smelling abilities lol…I guess I am very sensitive to smells…which I guess is why if I am going to smell everything – I want it to be good lol!  When it comes to scents and fragrances…I usually go for yummy food smells like buttercream and vanilla and pumpkin.  I do not care for floral or perfume-y smells, so I hardly ever try anything new…always sticking to my old ‘favorites’!  However, on my last yankee candle order – I decided to order a tart (yes, just one lol) and a plug-in in the PINEAPPLE CILANTRO scent…knowing full well that I would hate it and give it to my husband for his office lol!  BUT – oh my Goodness – I absolutely love this one!  It is such a fresh fragrance…without being too fruity or flowery.  I’m not really sure that I smell cilantro OR pineapple lol…but whatever it is – I love it!  And…it really just smells like spring/summer and makes you want to open the windows and let the breeze blow in lol!  So…if you are a yankee candle fan…and haven’t tried this one yet – I say GO FOR IT (but know that your nose is different from mine and you might not love it as much as I do lolol)!

 For us…summer wouldn’t be summer without POPSICLES lol!  And, of course you can buy them at the market…but they are so much fun to make at home…and the kids can join in the fun!  Best of all – you get to control what goes into them :o)  We love to add fresh fruit, fruit juice and even sometimes put candies inside!  It is even more fun when you have cool POPSICLE MOLDS to work with!  The molds pictured above are some of our favorites (especially love that these are way less mess than store-bought popsicles…and nothing to throw away!).  So, here are links to our favorites – ORKA ice pops (you can even opt for chocolate brown which looks sooooo cool with the summer popsicle colors) — TOVOLO yellow groovy pop molds (classic and just perfect) — and, TOVOLO green shooting star pop molds (fun shape that everyone loves)!

Of course, I couldn’t have a SUMMER article here at the SHABBY SHOPPE blog without mentioning digi scrapping lol!  So, see above for some kits that are perfect for your fun and colorful summer photos :o)  I chose SPLASH, SUMMER COTTAGE, BOUNCE, GIGGLE BOX, SANDBOX AND ISLAND CHIC as they all have color palettes and papers that work really well with summer, lake, pool, beach, etc. pics!  So, have fun this summer and take lots of pics…and have your summer kit ‘stash’ ready!

Obviously, there are lots of other things you will need (or well…want lol) for summer…like sunglasses, sunhats, beach towels and blankets, outdoor toys, lemonade (lol), a grill, ice cream…I could go on and on (don’t worry though – I won’t lol) :o)

Have a GREAT Monday…and a super summer (in advance) :o)  Tomorrow, Nicole will be bringing you the PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT…then on Wednesday…Beckie will have a wonderful article for our FOCUS on PHOTOS series!  So, check back…and again – you really do not want to miss Thursday :o)  And, Friday won’t be too bad either lolol!

Shabby PrincessBeauty & Fashion, Uncategorized 3 Comments

hey guys…SP here :o)  I want to start by telling you that I am officially resigning from EVER being responsible for selecting the LOTW again!  Seriously…I just can’t do it again!  I was just not meant to ‘judge’…so I am going to remove myself from the LOTW line-up…effective immediately lol!  Sorry girls…I know you can pick up my slack :o)  I could have easily selected twenty or thirty layouts because in all honesty – they are all AMAZING!  I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed looking through the Shoppe’s new gallery and seeing all of the wonderful layouts being posted…you just have no idea!  I told Beckie earlier in the week that ‘choosing’ a layout this week was going to be NO fun for me…and boy was I right!  I guess it is a good problem to have, right?  TOO MANY GORGEOUS LAYOUTS BEING POSTED IN YOUR GALLERY?  lol…I know, I know :o)

With all of that said…I truly adore the layout that made our first ‘official’ LOTW!  It works with one of my favorite kits ever and it really just jumped out at me in the gallery!  I’m sure it is the combination of ADORABLE photos…that smile…the layout design and how it just all came together :o)  I have a feeling you will love it, too!  So, I’ll stop rambling and get on to it LOL!  Thank you so much to ‘georgeinci’ for posting this layout…that just makes me S M I L E :o)

 THANKS SO MUCH, ‘georgeinci’, and CONGRATS (check your inbox for a little Shabby Shoppe gift card :o))!

What else?!  We just released a FUN new collection at the Shoppe!  Have you ever been working on a layout and wished you had a scallop…or a rounded corner frame…or the perfect heart?!  Well…this set of PNG shapes includes 80 useful and practical files to add lots of interest to your layouts!  They were designed for you to ‘clip’ your papers or photos to…and it’s all so easy!  You will find tutorials for both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements linked on the product page (just click the preview image below)!  Best of all…they are on sale for only $2.95 this week (sale price goes away on May 15th)!

and…here are a couple of layouts I created that feature lots of the shapes included in the collection :o)  You can click on the layouts to go to my gallery and find info on kits used, etc!

I think that’s all I have for you today :o)  We’ll all be taking tomorrow off for Mother’s Day and hope that you have a WONDERFUL day with your family…and hopefully get pampered a little bit, too lol!  My mom is out of town right now…so I will be spending the entire day with my little man…and the plan is to spend the afternoon watching movies (his choice, of course lol) and cuddling on the couch!  Sounds like the perfect day to me <smiles>!

We’ll be back to blogging on Monday – with new posts and inspiration :o)  I am super excited about everything we have lined up…but I have to tell you that you won’t want to miss THURSDAY…we have a special guest lined up for you - I promise you will not be disappointed, he he!  How’s that for a teaser?  LOL!  Have a HAPPY and SCRAPPY weekend…and a Mother’s Day filled with love!

Shabby PrincessLayout of the Week, Shoppe News, Uncategorized 8 Comments