RRPD {the blog}

Dear Blog,

2011-11-09T12:36:00.001-05:00

I have missed you. Promise to write soon. Love, R

the promises from your Word are enough ...

2011-06-08T13:40:00.004-04:00

So, I have shared this song before on the blog: Blessings by Laura Story

I was listening to this song in the car the other day and a few lines resonated with me.

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And it just struck me how I live my life this way. How I can still struggle with my faith, my circumstances, my joy. I know God loves me. I know he wants the best for me. But sometimes I still pout when I don't get 'my' way. I am glad that God reminds us through the Bible of his promises for us.

Here are some promises to cling through as we do this thing called life.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (CEV)

¹Everything on earth

has its own time

and its own season.

²There is a time

for birth and death,

planting and reaping,

Hebrews 13:8 (CEV)

⁸Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Philippians 4:13 (CEV)

¹³Christ gives me the strength to face anything.

1 John 4:16 (NIV)

¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

John 3:16 (NIV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Monday Minute: Swivel Store

2011-06-08T13:38:00.004-04:00

Okay, this is one of those As Seen on TV that I actually want to buy.

You can buy it here: Swivel Store

Am I the only one whose "spice bottles are out of control?" Or are there others out there?

Monday Minute: Sparrow Keychain

2011-05-16T05:30:00.000-04:00

How cute is this?!?

The Sparrow Keychain doubles as whistle and then when you get home you put the bird in its birdhouse. Super cute. I think this would make a fantastic housewarming gift.

Parenting is Hard

2011-05-11T05:30:00.003-04:00

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

The other day my children's school sent home the weekly newsletter. In it was a short article titled, "WANTED. Understanding children who talk back."

This caught my eye. Why would an understanding child talk back?!? And who wants a child that talks back?!? So I read through it. It was then that I realized that the WANTED banner was just part of the fancy clip art associated with our wild west theme of our school mascot, The Rangers. The article was about understanding why your children might talk back and some advice on what to do. Here's what it stated.

It is normal for children to talk back to their parents at different stages of their development. If talking back seems to be a concern, consider the following ...

- Don't get into a power struggle with your child. An angry response from you may result in more back talking.
- Let your child know in a calm manner that you are not happy with the way they are talking and that the conversation will continue when they are ready to talk in a respectful and calm manner.
- Acknowledge when your child speaks in a respectful manner.
- Model the way you want to be talked to when you are talking to your child.
- Use wait time. Take the time to listen and show your child you will consider their thoughts and concerns.

Uggh. I need to print this out in poster size and hang it in every room in my home. To be completely honest, I have a roller coaster relationship with my son. We are either on a big high and getting along fabulously or we are in the pits. It is so hard. When I look back at a conversation, I can see where it went terribly wrong. But in the heat of the moment, I just can't see my mistakes. Sometimes I'm not a crazy Christian girl. I'm just crazy!

Now, I know that this is not a one sided equation. I know that my son is responsible for his attitude and actions. But, I can't help feeling that if I were a better model of how to respond, and not react when frustrated, he would be better at it, too.

So, I went to Scripture to see if this advice is supported. Here's what I found.

- Don't get into a power struggle with your child. An angry response from you may result in more back talking.

Fathers, don't exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Ephesians 6:4a (The Message)

- Let your child know in a calm manner that you are not happy with the way they are talking and that the conversation will continue when they are ready to talk in a respectful and calm manner.

Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another. Ephesians 5:21 (The Message)

Respect your father and mother—God, your God, commands it! You'll have a long life; the land that God is giving you will treat you well. Deuteronomy 5:16 (The Message)

- Acknowledge when your child speaks in a respectful manner.

Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master. Ephesians 6:4b (The Message)

- Model the way you want to be talked to when you are talking to your child.

¹ These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:1-2, 6-7 (New International Version, ©2011)

- Use wait time. Take the time to listen and show your child you will consider their thoughts and concerns.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19 (New International Version, ©2011)

My prayer is that I will respond to my child in love and grace, the way God responds to me when I act badly. Thanks for letting me be transparent with you. I hope that you are encouraged by God's promises to us (like the unconditional love he has for every single person on this planet) and that like me, you can ask for forgiveness for past mistakes and move beyond them into God's plan and purpose for your own life.

Matthew 3:17 (New International Version, ©2011)

¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Monday Minute: kelly & katie Wedge

2011-05-09T05:30:00.003-04:00

So, now that I live in a warmer climate, I need more than one pair of flip-flops. I needed some cute sandals that added a touch of style to my outfit while still being comfortable. These wedges by kelly & katie totally fit the bill.

I actually bought them while we were out on our date night - we drove past DSW and couldn't resist - and wore them out of the store! So comfortable and so cute. That's win-win.

Monday Minute: The Help

2011-04-25T16:19:00.003-04:00

Last summer, this was on everyone's reading list.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Well, now this summer you can see the movie.

But I would suggest you read the book first.

Preparing for Rain

2011-04-20T12:30:00.003-04:00

Leviticus 26:3-4 (New International Version, ©2011)

³ “‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, ⁴ I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit.

The other night when I was putting my son to bed, we were praying. I am trying to teach my children the ACTS method of prayer.

A - Adoration

C - Confession

T - Thanksgiving

S - Supplication

This is not the only way we pray but I do think it's important to remember that praising God and thanking him need to be a big part of our prayer time. Prayer is not just about asking God for things and that can easily become our focus. To help them out I start and they finish. What I mean is that I'll pray, "Dear God, You are great because ...." and they'll come up with a reason. I try to encourage them to not thank God at this part. Just try to recognize a different quality trait or the character of God. Something that is independent of his actions. Then we go on, "I confess my sin today when I ...." I tell them they can pray this silently but often they choose to confess their sin out loud. "Thank you for ...." and we finish up with, "I pray that ..." Again, not that I want my kids to think their is some magical formula to prayer, but I just want them to include some praises and thanks in their prayer time.

To get back to where, I started, I was putting my son to bed the other night. We prayed and he thanked God for letting him get some good hits at his baseball game. This struck me because I would have thought that my son would think that good hits were purely the result of his own efforts and skills. When we finished praying, he elaborated on this prayer. He told me that every time he gets up to bat, he prays to God that he will get a hit and then he prepares for rain. Now, if you have seen Facing The Giants, you know what I am talking about. If not, take a minute and view this clip.

Okay, are you with me now? My sweet son told me that he prays for a hit and then he prepares for rain. He keeps his eye on the ball, he steps towards the pitcher and he swings hard. He does his best and leaves the results up to God.

And if that just doesn't make my heart burst with pride. Well, it does. I love my son deeply and my prayer is that he will prepare for rain and wait on God to answer.

²² Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, LORD our God.
Therefore our hope is in you,
for you are the one who does all this.

To the Church in Philadelphia

⁷ “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

Monday Minute : GLAD, The Easter Song

2011-04-18T15:23:00.001-04:00

Just a little acapella to get you ready for Easter!

He's risen. Hallelujah.

Monday Minute: Camera Lingo Necklaces

2011-04-11T10:37:00.005-04:00

I want one of these.

Buy the Camera Lingo Necklaces at the Photojojo Store!

And if you don't know what this is in reference to, then you're not as cool as I thought you were and your pictures are probably not as good as they could be. And yes, that is rather snarky of me but it's Monday morning and I slept lousy last night. We had this crazy, windy rain and lightening storm that kept me up all night. And then we overslept because the power went out. And that's my excuse.

But seriously, I think after I save a few pennies, this will be a little splurge that I use my allowance on. I think I'm a big enough dork to pull it off. And it would look super cute with a few of these ...

Buy the Lens Bracelets at the Photojojo Store!

photos courtesy of Photojojo

Mr. Bananas

2011-04-06T05:30:00.005-04:00

Philippians 4:6 (New International Version, ©2011)

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Who is Mr. Bananas, you may be wondering? He is this little man who is the newest addition to my daughter's stuffed animal collection.

And why would I bother to blog about Mr. Bananas? Because he taught me a little lesson on prayer. Well, technically, I think God taught me the lesson but he used this orange monkey to do it. Here's the story.

My daughter and I ran up to the grocery store to grab a few essentials: chocolate pie and chocolate syrup. In my defense, they were for the boy's birthday. But anyhoo, the girl had just gotten her allowance and she is the type where money is burning, I mean burning, a whole in her pocket and just needs to be spent. First, she went on the carousel ...

and then this flashy, money waster caught her eye.

Yes, both of my children are drawn to these claw games. I try to tell them that these games are set up for you to plunk your money in and walk away with nothing. But they never listen. So, it's 50 cents a grab but the girl only had dollar bills. In went the first dollar and two tries later at a stuffed star, nada. So, she popped in another dollar and made two more tries on an orange animal. Since it was face down, she wasn't even sure what it was, but she knew that she must have it. She tried the head first and then the bottom. Again, nada, because of course it's head is wedged underneath a stuffed bear so as to make it impossible for you to win. Have I already mentioned how these are just money wasters?!? As she readied her third dollar I dragged her away in search of our pie. As we were walking through the store she claimed she was going to try one more time and she was confident she would win. I told her I was confident it would just be a waste of another dollar. Then she looked up at me with a smirk on her face and said, "Well, I'm going to pray I get it." And then she closed her eyes and squinched up her eyes and nose and apparently made a silent prayer. This prompted me to make my own little prayer that she would win this cheesy orange animal so that God would get the glory. Yes, this is the way I think these days. I look for any opportunity to glory God and make him relevant in the lives of my children. Hence, Crazy Christian Girl (CCG).

So, we pay for our pie and chocolate syrup and head out. We get to the claw machine and she shares her strategy. She's going to make another try at the head to loosen it up since it is still under that bear. Then she'll make a grab at the bottom since it's more up in the air. I made one more attempt to talk her out of wasting her allowance but she claimed it was her money to spend how she wants and since technically it is, I didn't stop her. With complete confidence she made her first claw drop at the head and it did move a little. Then her second claw drop went right for the bottom. She got a hold of it and it started to lift. I knew it would fall before getting to the chute. So, I silently watched on as this orange animal made it's way to the all the way to the chute and dropped right in and out the bottom for the girl to scoop up into her arms.

She shrieked with joy and I thanked God for answering my little girl's prayer about an orange, as it turns out, monkey. She jumped up and down with excitement and we praised God together! A worker happened to walk by at that moment and commented how he didn't think anyone ever won and she told him how she prayed she would win. It was adorable. God was glorified right there at the claw machine at Albertson's.

Now, you might argue that it wasn't God that won her that monkey, that it was her smart strategy. Fair enough. But I would argue that God thought that strategy into her head and made that orange monkey light enough to not slip out of that hook as he made his way into her arms.

And I was reminded about how God cares about every aspect of our life. How he asks us to bring everything to him in prayer and give thanks.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (New International Version, ©2011)

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Even orange monkeys who get the clever name of Mr. Bananas.

Monday Minute - Laura Story, Blessings

2011-04-05T09:51:00.005-04:00

photo from http://www.laurastorymusic.com/

If you haven't heard this song yet, you should.

But I'm going to share this video clip here, so watch this first ---

Then go listen to the song. Trust me, it's a good one.

Blessings, Laura Story

And if you're reading this off the feed from Facebook, you'll need to click over to the actual blog page to view the video.

Double And, if you're reading this and want to comment, please click on over and comment on the blog. I'd really appreciate hearing your feedback over there. Thanks!

Moving Day

2011-03-23T05:30:00.000-04:00

Nothing to write here as we are moving in today. I'll be back next week!

Monday Minute

2011-03-21T05:30:00.000-04:00

Still on the road. Enjoy this video. My mom posted it on Facebook. Wow, that's something I didn't ever think I'd hear myself say.

Friday Foto Tip

2011-03-18T05:00:00.001-04:00

As you read this, I am on the way to TX!!!

So, just a quick tip for you this week.

Try a different viewpoint.

At my daughter's birthday party, all the girls were signing a ceiling tile that would be put up in the store after the party. Here's the typical shot.

And here's what I got from a different viewpoint.

I simply held the camera up over my head and took a couple shots until I could see mostly everyone's face. To me, this image is a bit unexpected and therefore a lot more fun.

Have a great weekend everyone!

God is our Master Planner ... and why I affectionately call myself a crazy Christian girl

2011-03-17T11:20:00.004-04:00

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Many Christians are familiar with this verse. And it’s a good one to mediate on when life gets a little bumpy. When life gets a little messy. When life just doesn’t seem fair.

These were the words Jeremiah sent to the Israelites that were in exile. The Israelites that were taken from Jerusalem to Babylon. These were words from God to encourage his people. But I was never aware of what came just before this verse. If we look back and read Jeremiah 29:10, we learn a little bit more.

10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.

What is key here is to remember that God had plans for his people that would be carried out in his time. I like the way these verses are worded in The Message. (The Message is a modern day translation of the Bible. It doesn’t pretend to be the inspired words of God but it does intend to make Scripture easier to read. I like to keep it on hand as I read through the Bible and you can always look it up on Biblegateway.com.)

Jeremiah 29:10-11 (The Message)
10-11This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

… and not a day before.

God does have a plan for us. We just can’t always see the big picture the way God does and can’t always understand the timing. As some of you know, I am in the midst of moving for the second time in two years. Trust me, this was not my plan. My plan was to stay in our home in Michigan until the kids graduated from college then my husband and I would buy a nice, little condo in a cute downtown area. But two years ago, God moved our family away from our cozy life in Michigan surrounded by friends and family and great home church to Binghamton, NY where we didn’t know a soul. And now two years later God is moving our family to Roanoke, TX. Roanoke is just north of the Dallas/Fort worth area. It’s a long back story but let me just share this with you today.

I was struggling, I mean, really struggling with moving from NY to TX. I had gotten very comfortable here in NY, made a lot of great friends, had a beautiful home, and was involved in many different volunteer opportunities. I had even started substitute teaching and earning a few bucks. I was content to stay. When my husband told me it was likely we would be moving to Dallas, I just felt like it wasn’t a move we were supposed to make. I prayed over it constantly and asked God to give me peace about the move. Just days after getting the official word that we were indeed moving we visited family in Michigan. After spending a few days at my in-laws, I woke up and prayed to God that he would show me why I was struggling with this move. What came to mind was pride. In NY, I was a big fish in a little pond. When we moved to TX, I’d be a little fish in a big pond. I wasn’t sure how I would make my way or where I would fit in. And here’s where it gets even better. I went to, um, use the facilities. And I happened to notice that the manufacturer of the toilet bowl was Mansfield. Ladies, as it happens, Mansfield was one of the two cities we were looking at for a home in TX. That blew me away. Then I went to jog on the treadmill and noticed a ladder leaning against the wall. The manufacturer of the ladder was Keller. Remember I said we were looking at homes in two cities. Want to guess what that other city was? You got it. Keller. Oh, and I won't even mention that the manufacturer of the toilet seat was Church. Oh, wait, I just did.

And here’s when I started calling myself a crazy Christian girl. I decided right then and there that the God of the Universe, the Master Planner, was speaking to me through a toilet bowl and a ladder. Years ago when my in-laws purchased these items he already knew our family would be moving to TX. And he knew I would need a little confirmation that it was the right move. And here's a little proof so that you you know I didn't just make this up in my head. I'm not really crazy. I'm just passionate about Jesus. But I know to a lot of people that can look a little crazy.

I know that God has a plan for me. And that plan right now is TX. So, tomorrow morning my family of four will load ourselves into our car and begin our four day road trip to Roanoke. And I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us once we get there!

Isaiah 25:1
LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done wonderful things,
things planned long ago.

Isaiah 46:10-11
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
11 From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do.

I'm doing it ...

2011-03-14T10:09:00.004-04:00

I've had this idea percolating around in my head for the past year or so to do something different with this blog. You can see my original post here. Wow, time really flies. But now is the time to put some legs to this dream. To put my neck out there. To be stretched by God. For now, I am only going to commit to two posts a week. One will be taking a look at my walk with Jesus. The other will be some kind of photography related post. Yeah, nothing like drawing two completely different audiences. I'm sure this is a really bad idea. But, it's my idea. And I'm running with it.

So, to that end, I am applying for a scholarship to She Speaks, a conference to grow and stretch women who feel called to share Jesus. Here's what I wrote for the scholarship, so might as well share it with all (I think at least one person still reads this blog) of you.

Oh, and I can not post with out a photo so here's one for you.

I am officially a crazy, Christian girl sold out completely to Jesus Christ.

~ Your speaking dream–when it began; where it is now.

Wow. Nothing like starting off with a prompt that will make me bare my soul. Just the idea of having a dream is scary. The idea of actually going after that dream can paralyze me. But, in the last few years I have felt a prompting from God to reach out to other women with God’s truth. I went from being a participator to leading, leaning on God throughout the process. It seems as though through every day life happenings, I see Jesus in them. I am becoming a crazy, Christian girl and couldn’t be happier. I want to share that with other. I want Christian women to see Jesus in their every day lives. To experience Jesus daily. To get a little crazy in the eyes of the world. There is nothing better than having a close, intimate relationship with God.

~ Where is my dream right now?

Well, this post is the first step at making this dream a reality. I had a blog for years with my photography business and now I’m feeling led to use that space on the web for God’s business. I keep coming up with reasons not to pursue my dream. Who will read my blog? What will I say? I’m no Bible expert. Blah. Blah. Blah. I’m going to start pursuing my dream, or is it a calling, today. To take a line from Facing The Giants – my job is to do my best and leave the results up to God. I won’t fear of failure. My dream is to blog with purpose. I’ll leave the results up to God.

~What it is you feel God calling you to speak on:

I definitely feel led to speak to women. Not so much on any one topic, but just living a daily walk with Jesus. On seeing Jesus in the every day. I struggled for so many years about worrying whether my actions were lining up with God’s will or not. I’ve realized that my focus was off. My focus needs to be on knowing God better and as a result, my actions will line up with his will. I want my blog to be an encouragement to women in their every day lives. As a Christian wife and mother, there are so many ways to be discouraged. I want to be a voice of encouragement. A voice of friendship. A been there-done that-or in the midst of it right now. I want women to know they are not alone in this walk with Jesus. The other piece of the puzzle is how to incorporate my photography into my blog. My photography is such an extension of who I am that I know it will need to be a part of my blog for my blog to feel real. See, I just gave myself another excuse for not pursuing my dream! Well, I am going to get over myself and try a few things and see what happens.

~Finally—and now this will be a stretch for some of you—why should I choose you to win this scholarship?

Honestly. I need someone to push my out of my comfort zone. I need someone to make me put some legs to my dream. I need someone to start me through this process. You should choose me because I would have never chosen myself to be used by God, to blog about being a crazy, Christian girl, to encourage women in their spiritual lives. Yet, that’s exactly what I feel God is whispering into my heart. So, with a trembling heart I pray – choose me.

I'm tired

2010-04-29T06:56:00.004-04:00

Going on Day 4 of waking up at 6:10 am. I'm tired. And still trying to figure out what I want to do with this blog.

I do know that I love these two. Last night the boy babysat the girl. We do this every once in a while when Scott and I need some time together. I was so proud of the boy. He went roller blading with his sister. He played catch with his sister. He taught his sister how to bat. He made sure she got in her pajamas and picked out her clothes for the next day. He let her have a popsicle as a treat. Then tucked her into bed with a story. Well, that last part might not be true. I think he tucked her into bed and gave her the option of a story or time on her DS and she chose the DS, but I like to imagine the two of them snuggled in bed reading a story! Then he read on his own for a few minutes, came downstairs and gave Scott and I big hugs and we kissed him goodnight. There was not ONE squabble between the two of them for the entire time. For the entire TWO HOURS!!! I just saw smiles and heard giggles. It was wonderful.

6:10 am

2010-04-27T08:49:00.003-04:00

This is my new wake up time. I know, I know. Many of you probably get up this early already but I have not seen a 6 in the hour position as I sleepily eye my alarm clock in a very long time. But, I am making an effort to be more disciplined in my relationship with God, my responsibilities as a wife and mother and make an effort to improve my physical self. RRPD started as a moniker for Rebecca Redman Photography & Design, then after the move to New York transitioned to RR Photographic Diary and is now going to truly become my Personal Diary. It may be of no interest to anyone except myself, but I want to be accountable to my God, my family and my body. To that end, I am embarking on waking up at 6:10 am each weekday and carving out time in the Bible and prayer before I start any other part of my day. I'll feel out my way around this blog and try to make it worth your time to read. But if I'm the only reader I'm okay with that, too.

Oh, and if you're wondering how I settled on 6:10, it's simple. I had really been struggling with this idea of getting up before 7:30 each morning. I know, I was a lazy bones! I finally decided I was going to give it a try and just trust in God to give me the energy throughout the day and to desire that time spent with Him more than that time snuggling in bed. I went to bed with these thoughts in my head. The next morning, I was awakened by the sound of birds. They were tweeting and twittering and it put a smile on my face. The alarm clock was glowing 6:10. So, that was it. I decided to make that the start of my new morning routine. I am on Day 2 and I'm sure by the end of the week I'll be feeling tired and tempted to hit the snooze but this morning, through my devotions, I was just encouraged again to keep at it.

I'll finish with a picture of what it's all about. Making God a part of my life so that His love is reflected to those I care most about.

ok go ... this too shall pass

2010-03-06T14:36:00.003-05:00

So, I meant to post this yesterday but I was busy taking care of a sick little girl. She is feeling completely better now and running around the house.

I get a headache just thinking about how much work this had to be. I wonder how many takes this took?!?

These are the same guys that brought you this great video I posted a while back.

two feet of snow

2010-03-01T10:01:00.005-05:00

Well, it snowed from Wednesday night through Saturday afternoon without stopping, and after all was said and done, I'd say we got about two feet.

At least that's how it looked! :)

A friend emailed me this photo. I went looking around the web to try to give the photographer and the builder credit. Didn't find it exactly, but did find it posted on the blog of Bob Eckstein. Here's how Bob describes himself:

Snowman expert, Publisher of Today's Snowman.com, author of The History of the Snowman and cartoonist for the New Yorker, Reader's Digest, Wall Street Journal and others. Twitter; snowmanexpert

We didn't build a snowman over the weekend but here is one my daughter built all by herself back in December. She was so proud of herself. And I was, too!

2010 Vancouver, Olympics

2010-02-26T09:04:00.004-05:00

I have thoroughly enjoyed the 2010 Olympics. I've had it on during the day and the whole family has gathered around the television at night. I will miss them!

And, was it just me, or did this commercial bring a tear to your eye EVERY time you saw it?

We are home on a second snow day in a row. We probably got about 14 inches or so since yesterday morning. Here's to a cozy, snuggly kind of day for you and yours.

young me, now me

2010-02-25T08:10:00.005-05:00

Well, has it really been two months since I posted?!? Why, yes it has. But this was too good not to share.

Young Me, Now Me

The concept is simple. Recreate a photo from your youth. The reality. To get a good result, quite a bit of effort is involved. The results are at times clever, uncanny (for example, this father/baby time warp) or just silly. Here's a few more samples from the site.

Take a look. And I dare you to stop after just a few. Because you won't be able to.

Gets me thinking. When I trek to MI this summer I might just have to round up my sisters and give this a shot.

So, are you ready to play? If you do upload your photo to the site, be sure to send me the link so I can check it out! And I'll be sure to post here if I do the same.

Letters from The Man in Red

2009-12-23T19:51:00.004-05:00

So, the kids received letters from Santa! And I did not send the letters. He knew exactly what accomplishments from this past year have landed them on the GOOD list, their ages, what they got last year and even what they'd like this year. How does he know all this? I think his elves have been busy collecting this much needed data.

Sarah tore right into hers and couldn't wait to read it.

(Well, I have video of her reading her letter but can't seem to get it to upload. Will try again later.)

I forgot

2009-12-21T21:09:00.001-05:00

I forgot how much fun Campbell's Vegetable soup can be. Sarah reminded me.

just some silliness

2009-11-20T13:54:00.003-05:00

four friends + fun music + no inhibitions = great memories

Hope you are having a happy Friday!

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T16:54:00.003-05:00

I picked up my son from school on Tuesday and he pointed out all the flags that he, as part of the Student Council, had put in the front lawn.

I asked him why they had done this and he said something about soldiers. I took this as an opportunity to explain Veterans Day (which of course meant that I needed to Google it when we got home!)

Here's what I found out from the United States Department of Veteran Affairs.

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these words:

Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

I'd like to thank our Veterans for their sacrifice for our country. I am very proud to be an American.

halloween and Christmas

2009-11-05T09:41:00.007-05:00

Yes, I need to start with another apology about how long it has been since I updated the blog. I don't know about you, but now that Halloween is over, my mind is on Christmas.

Let me interject a few Halloween pictures here because you know I can't post without some photos or video! And I am reminded once again that I should take their photos the day BEFORE Halloween or some other time because on the actual day of trick-or-treating they have absolutely no interest in having pictures taken! But this year we had Snow White and a hobo (while a perfectly fine, newly bought Army guy costume is wadded up in the boy's closet.)

The kids had a wonderful time and got a huge loot. I have decided to let them eat as much candy as they want, hoping that they will either a) get sick of it or b) run out! So far, neither has happened.

Alright, on to Christmas because even though Thanksgiving is the next big holiday, I don't really have much to say about Thanksgiving. I think I cruise past Turkey Day because we always travel to New Jersey for Thanksgiving at my sister-in-law's so we really don't do any preparation. And this year, we are all terribly excited about only having a 3.5 hour drive vs. an 11 hour drive.

So, as I was saying, my mind is on Christmas. I've been reading a few blogs about how to destress and a few blogs with great gift ideas and I as I find things that just WOW me, I'm going to share them here.

I'm not sure the proper blog etiquette of just ripping off someone else's post, but Karen Ehman says it much better than I could. I'll give you just a taste of what she writes and encourage you to hop on over to her blog for the full scoop. I saw Karen in person at a Hearts at Home conference and appreciated how genuine she is. Hopefully her tips will help make your Christmas a Frazzle-Free Holiday.

from Karen's blog:

Re-evaluating the holidays.

About 10 years ago, I was one frazzled mom when it came to the holidays. The baking, decorating, Christmas cards, shopping, stocking stuffing and such had me in a complete tizzy. I was exhausted trying to create the perfect Christmas. And I wanted to include activities that I thought my kids expected. I also tried frantically to recreate some of my own holiday memories through baking and cooking things my mother had fixed when I was growing up. And, of course, I had to shop for the perfect gifts and stocking stuffers that would draw oohs and ahhs from my family on Christmas morn.

Face it. Moms often fall into this hectic, horrible holiday trap. And it leaves us feeling tired mentally and physically.

Well, that Christmas I had had it!

So, one wintry day, I called a meeting.

I gathered my family and decided to solicit their honest opinions about how we celebrate the holidays.

It was the best thing I ever did.

Holiday Re-evaluation Survey

Gather everyone in your home. Answer the following questions. Encourage one and all to be honest in their responses. The goal is to discover your unique way of celebrating the holidays and help alleviate some of the Yuletide “Yikes!”

* What has been your favorite tradition that we have done over the years and why?
* What has been your least favorite holiday tradition and why?
* Have any adults share their favorite memory of their holidays growing up. Did it have to do more with money or with people, with getting or with doing?
* Can you think of any new tradition you would like to start celebrating and why?
* What holiday foods do you really love and most look forward to?
* What holiday foods could you do without?
* How can we divide up tasks during the holidays so all of the responsibilities don’t fall on already over-stressed mom?

I plan on doing this survey Friday night with my family and I'll share the results here. I'm thinking if you only have little, little children, this might just be a conversation between you and your spouse. But, if you have older kids, I bet they would love to be involved. What do you think? Are you going to to do this survey, too?

future me

2009-10-26T16:47:00.005-04:00

So, if you could write a note to yourself to read in one year or 5 years or 10 years, what would you say? Well, here's your chance.

Future Me. Org

From the site:
here's the story:
two fellas started this here site so that you could write yourself a letter to be delivered at a later date. we've all had to do them in high school and college. it's sorta cool to receive a letter from yourself about where you thought you'd be a year (two years? more?) later. FutureMe.org is based on the principle that memories are less accurate than emails. we strive for accuracy.

I've thought about doing this. I think I would like to send one to my kids that they could read on their 18th birthday or some other significant milestone. Maybe I'll send one to myself to read on my 50th birthday or 25th anniversary. Or maybe a mission statement for our family for one year from now and see how we're doing?

What do you think? Is this a cool site or a waste of time?

the fun theory

2009-10-16T08:40:00.004-04:00

The internet is full of some really great stuff. Watch this video from The Fun Theory.com. I like what the site says:

This site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better.

After watching this little video, right away got thinking about how I could make those everyday, mundane chores a bit more fun. I know for me, even just turning on the radio helps. But maybe putting on an old pair of socks and 'dusting' my wood floors? Shooting hoops with the dirty laundry? Do you have any tips that back up the Fun Theory? Let's hear them.

a full moon

2009-10-14T13:45:00.002-04:00

In keeping with the October/Halloween/Autumn theme, here's a photo I snapped a few nights back. If you're interested, I'll share how I did it.

In other words, if you want to know, leave a comment asking.

the monster mash

2009-10-09T00:01:00.000-04:00

Halloween will soon be here. Here's a little video to get you ready for trick-or-treating.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

I had made one of these a few Christmases ago with dancing elves and we watched it over and over just giggling. You can make your own JibJab Sendables here. So, are you planning on dressing up for Halloween this year? Will you go scary or sexy? Let me know.

best dollar spent ... ever

2009-10-02T12:06:00.003-04:00

At least that's what my daughter would have to say about this little gem she picked up at the dollar store.

my husband rocks!

2009-09-28T12:00:00.004-04:00

Okay, just a true fact.

My husband rocks! He really does. I'm trying to make some plans to have his upcoming birthday be really special for him. Not that he cares, but because I want him to know how much I appreciate him. I'm thinking that as long as there is chocolate involved, he will be happy.

But thinking about how great he is reminded me of this site, Union 28, that I found awhile back that celebrates marriage. Too often, it's easy to focus on the negative aspects of any relationship and I like it that this couple chose to celebrate each other.

Union28 (formerly From*me Tees) was started by a married couple who knows what it is like to work through hard stuff and yet stay together and stay committed, choosing to forgive and be forgiven, only to grow in our love for each other MORE through it all.

One of the great and wonderful mysteries of life is that loving each other in action--what we do and say--produces romance. Everything in our culture today teaches the opposite, that romance turns into love, but nothing could be further from the truth. Love is a choice and we decide how we're going to treat each other in the good and in the not-so-good times. What a hope-giving reality that a strong, loving, thriving relationship can be built, simply by changing how we interact with our spouse.

So, do you love someone who rocks? Would you be proud or embarassed to wear a tee proclaiming it to everyone?

the dancing baby

2009-09-25T08:44:00.004-04:00

So, you have probably already seen this but I thought it was too cute and didn't want you to miss it.

*** PLEASE NOTE *** There will be an advertisement after the video that is constantly refreshing and I have no idea if it will be appropriate viewing, so be ready with the mouse if this concerns you.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Is Beyonce's video just making the rounds this year or what?

Happy Friday! Hope you have some fun plans for the weekend.

time-lapse video

2009-09-18T10:06:00.002-04:00

Saw this time-lapse video last week when I was blog hopping. Thought I would share it here because I think the idea of time-lapse photography is pretty cool and the mural is pretty great. I'm always impressed with artists.

An introduction:

The “video” is really a series of photographs, one taken every 30 seconds and played back at 24 photo’s a second. A total of 6,357 photo’s were taken, representing over 54 hours of work.

Th Big Boy Room from Creede on Vimeo.

The video was originally posted on Grassroots Modern, which is a new blog I just found and am really enjoying. As much as I love our new home, I've already told Scott that our next home is going to be modern. He wasn't sure what I met, but he thought it sounded expensive. It probably is, but a girl can dream. I've bookmarked this site, Hometta, on Modern Home House Plans for when we're ready.

The Perfect Picture Wall

2009-09-16T14:11:00.003-04:00

I've had this site bookmarked for a long time:

The Perfect Picture Wall

From the site:

What is it?

Simply revolutionary!

ThePerfectpicturewall™series1000 is a complete system for hanging the enclosed 10 picture frames quickly and precisely anywhere in your home or business. It uses our revolutionary and Patented "Pre-View” Template technology allowing you to determine placement, height and character of frames all without measuring and before the first hook is ever entered into your wall.

The easy to use templates safely adhere to any surface allowing you to “Pre-View” what the frames will look like prior to hanging them.

The templates also have a unique leveling system so that all frames will be accurately positioned and level every time. The “Pre-View” templates can be moved multiple times to different locations, above a buffet or couch, around a corner or up the stairs until you are completely satisfied with the location. Apply in just moments what formerly took hours of tedious trial and error! You only need a hammer, everything else is included.

No measuring, figuring or fuss and…no mistakes!

Every detail has been carefully considered. ThePerfectpicturewall™ is architecturally designed to fit industry building standards for walls and stair cases. Additional sets of ThePerfectpicturewall™ can be added to accommodate larger walls and staircases.

Select from a variety of finishes and frame widths to suit any Classic or Contemporary setting.

Classic or Contemporary settings…the possibilities are endless!

I think it's an absolutely fantastic idea. The frames and templates allow you to easily create a perfectly polished photo gallery. You can even buy them 'preloaded' with images. How great are these?

I'm particularly drawn to this gallery that is on the vertical, versus horizontal.

I know. This is something that you could do yourself. But, I've been around the block a few times when it comes to buying and hanging frames and I cannot tell you how much this product inspires me. There's something to be said for the convenience of having it all worked out for you.

Has anyone used this product? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Trek to The Big House

2009-09-15T12:00:00.001-04:00

Been busy this past week getting ready and recovering from our trek to Ann Arbor. We made the drive for the Michigan -Notre Dame game and had a great time. The noise in The Big House was unbelievable and the fact that they won made the whole trip that much sweeter.

On a business side, are you enjoying these videos? Is this something you'd want from your photo session? Let me hear from you.

First Day of School

2009-09-10T14:23:00.002-04:00

Possible Michigan Sessions

2009-09-09T06:01:00.009-04:00

I've had my Michigan clients contacting me, asking if I'm making a trip to the Great Lake State this fall for the oh-so-popular mini-sessions. Well, if the interest is there, I'll be there.

**** ONLY THREE SESSIONS LEFT ****
*** 11:00, 1:00, 1:30 ***

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17th
10:00 - DAISY, 10:30 - SEYMOUR, 11:00 11:30 - SMITH, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00 - O'ROURKE, 2:30 - JACOBS, 3:00 - THERRIEN, 3:30 - SARGENT
Location: Our favorite locale at Quarton Lake

-15-20 minute session
-maximum of 8 online proofs
-proofs shown in Rebecca's choice of black and white or color

SUPER SIMPLE PRICING FOR FALL 2009

THE CARD COLLECTION $225
(24) 5 X 7 folded holiday cards plus (1) gift print (size 8 x 10 or smaller)

OR

THE PRINT COLLECTION $200
-includes your choice of
(3) gift prints (size 8 x 10 or smaller)

Additional 8 x 10 prints at $55 each
Additional 5 x 7 prints at $40 each
Additional set of 24 cards at $ each
In addition to purchase of a Collection, complete set of digital files at $300

Checks payable to Rebecca Redman will be the only accepted form of payment and due prior to October 5th. There is no additional purchase required but there is a full pricing sheet for additional orders. Call or Email today to book your preferred time. I would appreciate you passing the information along to interested friends. If all 10 sessions are booked, I will see you then.

count this

2009-09-05T09:47:00.001-04:00

Maybe once a week I'll post a video.

just some fun

2009-09-04T14:04:00.009-04:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since I updated the blog. Whoops. And, yes, I always say that. It's amazing how time just slips away. Anyway, here's just some shots for fun. This morning I was reading my friend's blog, Nicki's Thoughts, Art & Friends. She blogged about a photo prompt from Steve Gallow's blog, A Year in Photos. The photo prompt was to take a picture from inside your mailbox. Seeing as how I did a Project 366 last year and only blogged it four about four months, I think it's great that Steve is hanging in there. I grabbed my p&s, hit the self-timer and was in. So, thanks, Steve, for the inspiration to be posting again.

First attempt. The camera on auto, self-time for 10 seconds, and voila.

Tried it again, but didn't care for the neighbor's house. But I did like the off-center composition.

The girls saw what I was doing and wanted in on the action.

And thought I would try moving the camera to the front of the mailbox instead of the back of the mailbox. Yikes, that's a whole lot of my face!

I tried a few more but kept getting the neighbor's house in the background. It seemed that no matter how I angled the camera, it just kept popping up. It wasn't until I was looking at the pictures on my laptop that I realized the difference was where I was standing ... not the camera. The first snap was the only one where I was standing to the left side of the mailbox. After that I was always standing on the right. I thought about running back out and trying a few more from the left side but realized that since this was just for fun and I probably wasn't going to do anything else with these photos except post them here, decided it just wasn't worth the effort.

So, I went back to the first image, tried a square, off-center crop and ran an 'embossing' action in Photoshop to make it pop a bit more. Add a thin, black keyline and a white border and you get this:

Fuji FinePix F50fd
Shutter Speed: 1/530 s
Exposure Program: Normal Program
F-Stop: f 4.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 8.0 mm (35 mm)
Flash: Fired

You know, I suppose this didn't have to be a self-portrait. The two examples I saw were both self-portraits so that's what I had in my head. I suppose it could have just been a landscape but didn't think of that until this moment.

i heart faces

2009-07-14T21:43:00.003-04:00

I ♥ Heart Faces is a fun blog that has a weekly photo contest. This week the contest is Sports in Action. Here's one of the boy from this past week's baseball tournament. Look at that determination! If you want the details, leave a comment and let me know.

fantastic giveaway!

2009-07-07T10:27:00.003-04:00

So, you've heard my blog before about Catching Fireflies. When we lived in Royal Oak I would visit the Berkley store and after we moved to Lake Orion I would hit the Rochester store. Now that I'm in New York, I have to visit the blog and site but, I still get my Catching Fireflies fix and am hoping to make a stop on my trip to MI this summer.

But Catching Fireflies is seriously a great gift store. I can always find just the right thing when I head on over there. Right now April is offering a fabulous giveaway.

Now that summer is in full swing, we've got some great ways to stay refreshed on steamy evenings... 500 smoothies & juices recipe book, funny cocktail napkins, an amusing gurgle pot and ice kabobs ($70.35 value!) Head on over to the blog for all the details and good luck!

just one shot

2009-07-02T15:54:00.008-04:00

Sometimes, all you need is one shot. We took a day trip into Philly and as we were walking into Betsy Ross's home, my son pointed out, "That's a big tree." As I was walking, I looked up, snapped the picture and walked in the house.

Fuji FinePix F50fd
Shutter Speed: 1/90 s
Exposure Program: Normal Program
F-Stop: f 2.8
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 8.0 mm (35 mm)
Flash: Fired

Looking back over the photos from the trip, I enjoyed this one. I thought the angle of shooting up into the tree made it look large and looming. I also incorporated the rule of thirds in this image. With the rule of thirds, you imagine dividing the horizontal and vertical into thirds and placing a point of interest at one of the intersections. In this case, the trunk of the branch runs along a vertical third and then the branches run along a horizontal third.

Since I was happy with this straight out of camera crop, I wondered which I would prefer ... color or black and white. For the color, I played with the curves and for the black and white, I added a bit of a vignette. So, which do you prefer?

owego strawberry festival

2009-06-25T20:39:00.003-04:00

The strawberries were as big as your head!

Last Friday we made our first venture to the Owego Strawberry Festival. And we had a super time. Kettle corn. Lemonade. Fresh strawberries. Jugglers and magicians. It was a nice family night. Even before we left, I had an idea of taking a photograph to make a strawberry look 'as big as your head.' And I knew just what to do.

I needed to take advantage of lens distortion. Have you seen those images where a dog's nose looks super big? Or maybe you notice that a lot of closeups that you take of your children, they look a bit off? It could be due to lens distortion. The wider your focal length and the closer you physically put the lens to the subject, you get distortion where what's closest to the lens looks larger than it really is. So, I sat the girl down, handed her a strawberry and told her to hold it at arms length in front of her. I lowered the camera so that the strawberry was in line with her face. SNAP.

See how the strawberry is blurred but the background is in focus? I realized that in order to get close enough for the distortion to play into the image, that I got so close that the camera was unable to focus. Your camera (and your lens if you have a SLR) has a minimum focusing range. If your lens is not at least that distance from the subject, the camera will not focus. So, I switched to macro mode on my camera and was able to get in closer. Usually macro mode is designated by a flower.

Okay, now I'm getting somewhere. When I had switched to macro mode, I also turned off my flash. That's because I know from past experience that I do not like the combination of macro + flash with my p&s. It tends to over expose the subject and drastically darken the background. So much that I don't like the results. But without the flash, I needed the subject to be still so I didn't get any movement blur. Since the girl has a hard time being still, I called in the boy.

Now, I had already repositioned myself so that I didn't see the green garbage can in the background, had the boy relatively still, lowered myself so that the strawberry was lined up right in front of his face and SNAP. But, bummer, see the guy walking in the background?

So, I had to take another image. This time I got what I was going for. A strawberry as big as your head (notice that the strawberry had to be held away from his face and I had to get physically close to the camera ... I was at the widest angled and moved myself in ... I did not zoom in the lens as that would not provide the distraction I was going for). Just did a quick curves adjustment in PS to pop the color, cropped and tada.

Fuji FinePix F50fd
Shutter Speed: 1/120 s
Exposure Program: Normal Program
F-Stop: f 2.8
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 8.0 mm (35 mm)
Flash: Did not fire
Macro Mode

new purpose of the blog

2009-06-18T14:07:00.007-04:00

Okay, so I've been trying to figure out how I want to use this blog now that I don't have a photography business. I am not enough of a domestic diva to have a 'mom' type blog where I talk about how frugal I am, share recipes, and keep my kids entertained.

I am not a decorating queen and need help! Kendele, why do you have to be so far away?!?

I was thinking of trying to use the blog for some kind of online ministry but I'm just not feeling that either because I'm not sure where my gifts are.

So, what I am going to attempt to do is what I've always done. Photography. And teaching. I've decided that the RRPD of Rebecca Redman Photography and Design will now stand for RRPD meaning Rebecca Redman Photographic Diary or maybe even Photographic Diagram. Here's my thought. The blog will just be little photographic snippets into my life which should keep family and friends updated on the goings on of the Redmans in New York. And in the process, I'll try to explain how I arrived at said picture. What camera did I use. What lens. What other shots were taken in attempt to get "the" shot.

So, I'll try to poast 2-3 times a week and keep it interesting. I really enjoy reading comments so please, don't email me ... just post them here. If you have a question, just ask. And if I find the time, I'll answer.

So, let's give it a go with The Peony.

I'm realizing I'll need to do a post to introduce the two cameras I have but for now, let's just let you know that these were taken with my Fuji P&S (that's point and shoot for all not familiar with the photo lingo!)

First, the peonies were really looking beautiful so I ran out to snap a few pics before the kids showed up home from the bus:

Not bad, but closer is better so I zoomed in:

Then I remembered hearing about how photographers would place a piece of white posterboard behind flowers in the garden so I ran back in and grabbed a white piece of paper. Realizing this would be too flimsy, I grabbed the cardboard photo paper box, too. Ran back out and held it behind the flower.

Noticed that I was having a hard time getting rid of the green foliage on both sides of the peony, I zoomed in to photograph the peony off centered with just the white background. This turned out to be my favorite composition. All I did for post processing (I use Adobe Photoshop) was to clone out the line you see (that's from where the paper did not cover the cardboard box completely) and bump up the curves a bit.

Ta da. Didn't even need to crop this baby. This is an in-camera crop and I am digging it. Digging it so much I even incorporated it into my new blog header!

escalators

2009-05-29T08:41:00.004-04:00

Thanks to my sis and BIL for turning us onto Jim Gaffigan. He's a comedian who happens to be funny without being vulgar. How's that for something new? Check out this clip on escalators and if you love that one, be sure to watch the ones on camping and bacon (which is probably my sister's favorite!)

And for all you Michigan peeps, he's performing at Meadow Brook Music Festival on August 7th. If we were still there, I think that would definitely be a date night.

an online workshop

2009-05-28T11:58:00.002-04:00

Hey Ladies,

I just registered for this online conference, A Woman Inspired, and thought some of you might be interested too so here's the scoop:

Do you want to know how to begin and succeed in online ministry?

Join us June 8th - 11th!

Modern technology has opened up new doors of opportunity for ministry. Women who were once confined to space and time due to duties at home can now finish their tasks and sit down to a whole new mission field; one that knows no limits. It is the Internet.

How do you begin? What should your boundaries be? Must I Twitter and Facebook? If so then what are the advantages. Are these friendships that you are forming real or imagined? Do you need a blog? How can you branch out?

We have a team of ladies who are very educated in the ways of the internet and online ministry. They can show you how to begin, maintain, branch out, and even how to deal with adversity. This conference is for anyone who is ready to make a difference via the internet.

An online audio conference uses the Internet as a conference venue. What this means to you is that you will be able to access the conference from anywhere in the world using standard browser software which we provide. This software is compatible with all computers including Macs and it is provided by us, to you, with the cost of admission. All you need is a computer, internet connection, and speakers!

The conference will happen in real time but it will be recorded so if you can’t be there then you can still download the sessions to listen to at your convenience.

We are offering a free starter guide to beginning your own ministry online. Everyone who purchases a ticket between now and May 29th will receive the free e-book. Get your ticket for only $12.95! Don’t let time slip away… register now!

If you register, let me know and we can compare notes!

just needed to post

2009-05-18T16:08:00.002-04:00

This post is short and simple. Looking back at old photographs, I ran across this series of pictures we used as a thank you for my son's kindergarten teacher. That was the year he learned to read. He sat there reading Frog and Toad and I was just amazed. Three years later and I can still find him lounging on his bed reading.

What a great gift his teacher was able to give him .. the gift of reading.

funny video

2009-05-06T10:59:00.002-04:00

So, I've been busy painting and dying to post some pics to the blog but I need to clean up and get the "after" pics so give me a day or two. In the meantime, here's a funny video I stumbled across.

back at the blog

2009-04-20T08:38:00.005-04:00

So, it's been 11 weeks. Have you missed me?

Wait, don't answer that. I like to live with the illusion that people actually ready and enjoy the blog.

Anywhoo, I've been thinking about this blog and what I'm going to do with it since I don't have a photography business anymore. But, I do enjoy blogging and feel like maybe I could provide something useful here. So, bear with me over the next few weeks as I try to find my voice. I'll blog about photography, my new home, my lack of motivation and organization skill at said new home, my faith, parenting, other cool blogs, fun videos ... basically anything that strikes my fancy. I'm hoping that after a bit, I'll figure out what I enjoy blogging about the most, what readers enjoy reading the most and try to narrow down the focus (no pun intended).

So, if you're reading and something I write makes any kind of impact on you, please leave a comment. That way I'll know I'm on the right track.

To start, a photography related post.

Want to take a picture of the whole world? Pretty cool but pretty impossible, too. But, we can each do our part and take a photo of our corner of the world then upload it to Earth Mosaic and let them do the hard stuff. They're coordinating this with Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22nd. Just check out their site for all the details. I'll have another post and all who have participated can share.

Earthy Mosaic

I first read about this on Photojojo which has all sorts of fun ideas for DIY projects with photos.

Oh, and I guess I need to post some picture so here's a photo of my two. The reason I'm here at this blog and not at a 9-5 job.

your handwriting as a font ... for free ... for real!

2009-02-03T21:20:00.002-05:00

Just check it out.

yourfonts.com

You might need to click on the image to view it larger!

it's January

2009-01-11T20:48:00.007-05:00

Yay! It's a brand new, fresh year! (Trust me, you'll laugh at that later!)

Okay, I spend way too much time on the computer and one of the ways I spend my time is reading other blogs. I think it's something to do with the Nosie Nellie in me. Anyway, Catching Fireflies is one of my most favorite places to wander around when I need a little pick me up. On my birthday this past week, I took advantage of their 20% birthday discount and picked up these goodies for myself.

magnet

key finder

paper weight

April, the owner, keeps a fantastic blog of all things whimsical and she blogged about hoops and yoyo. So, I went to the website.

And yes, this did make me laugh out loud!

something to put a smile on your face

2009-01-05T09:03:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

So much has been going on and I'll try to update everyone soon. In the meantime, check out this short clip on friendship.

May 2009 find you surrounded by great friends.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T23:41:00.001-05:00

From my family to yours ... Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

a little bit of Christmas

2008-12-23T09:03:00.005-05:00

So I feel like I've been in a blender the last month and the last thing I wanted to do was decorate for Christmas. But, Sarah talked me into pulling out a few decorations and I'm glad she did. She then proceeded to take my camera and document our little bit of holiday cheer. So, from guest photographer, Sarah - age 5 1/2 - here's a glimpse of Christmas at the Redman home.

the garland on the stairs

the snowman on our kitchen table

it's a little too warm in the house for this snowman

our Christmas tree, complete with my favorite angel who flutters her wings

the kids' tree by their room with their own special ornaments, one for each year

the hand-sewn (not by me) nativity scene that's so fun to play with

the stockings were hung by the chimney with care

its only been a month

2008-12-18T11:44:00.001-05:00

and yet it feels like much longer. Some of you know. Some of you don't.

I am moving to New York!

Yep, there you have it. What? I know. It's crazy. But, as Martha would say, it's a "good thing."

Okay. Where to start. I guess we'll go back to the beginning. Scott has worked for Chrysler for 13 years. He really enjoyed his job and his colleagues and has always enjoyed the cars. The last several years have been very unstable at Chrysler starting with the 'merger' with Daimler and continuing with sale to Cerberus and lately with the economy and the request for money from the government. It has been a very unhappy place to be. In November, Chrysler offered a voluntary resignation incentive to EVERY employee. Scott, along with many of his colleagues, thought if he could find a job in a month, he's take the buyout and the new job. Now, finding a new job in a month is no easy feat. We began to pray in earnest that we would be in God's will and be obedient. Scott was talking about this with his sister and she said she would circulate his resume to a few directors at Lockheed Martin, where she works. The resume was circulated and in just two days he had received three phone calls for three different positions. I read Scott's resume. It is pretty impressive. He has worked hard, has three degrees and proven himself at Chrysler with his most recent position managing over 30 employees and various vendors for the complete interior of the L cars (Challenger - one of the coolest cars out there!, Charger and 300.) In spite of this, he has desired more stability for our family. So, his resume circulated around Lockheed Martin and one of those phone calls resulted in an interview and an offer in just three weeks at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY. Scott will be working on a bid to develop a vehicle for the Army and his automotive experience, along with his MBA, make him a great match for the job.

Scott has already started his new position with LM. In just the last few days in dealing with his new employers, he has already been encouraged by the attitude at Lockheed. Can you say an answer to prayer! Even though we love our current home, neighborhood, schools, friends and church we both feel that God is calling us to leave all of that. And that means leaving all of my family and Scott's parents, too. It also means leaving my clients.

So, we are about to embark on The Redman's BIG Adventure. Our house is on the market and we hope to be in New York with Scott by February.

I know many of you have been praying for us. We have felt it. We are very excited to see what God has in store for us. We would ask that you keep us in your prayers.

If you want to check it out, we'll be in the Binghamton area. Don't worry, I've already checked and there is a Target, Starbuck's, Home Depot (for Scott) and even a mall with a Macy's. Oh, and the kids were very excited to see Little Ceasars and Chuck E. Cheese's. It will be a big change for us but we are excited.

So, with the holidays and the move, Rebecca Redman Photography is officially closed ... for good. I haven't yet decided if I'll start my business over in NY. I'd just like to get there and get us settled in before I determine all of that. Many of you have asked, "Who will take our pictures?" That's a great question. I'll generate a list of local photographers I know that are great to work with. There's always the possibility of scheduling a day of sessions when I come home to MI to visit family. Right now, I'm just taking it one day at a time.

Thanks so much for your business over these last six years. I have truly enjoyed getting to know you and your families and have always appreciated the trust you put in me, the experience of documenting life.

For now, if you know of anyone looking for a great home in a super neighborhood, send them the link to our listing.

Great Home for Sale

I'll keep you up to date on our Big Adventure.

I actually won something

2008-11-17T07:27:00.000-05:00

So, I blogged and emailed about Elli Noelle Designs and was entered into a contest for free jewelry. In honor of her 100th blog post Rachel was offering $100 worth of jewelry. She had over 915 entries in her contest. And I won! I know several of you have mentioned that you're thinking of Elli Noelle for gifts and now I can splurge a little, too! How fun! Thank you Rachel!

Have you noticed that I like exclamation marks!!!

fabulous gift idea

2008-11-11T10:21:00.002-05:00

So, I suppose this would fall under 'musings' as it has absolutely nothing to do with photography. I'm always looking for ways to support other women who have started their own businesses. I guess because I know how much work it is. And with the economy the way it is, I'm even more excited when the business is based in Michigan so that we are supporting our neighbors. I was tipped to this fun Etsy shop, Elli Noelle Designs.

A little bio about Rachel.
About Me : I am a wife to a musician and a good one at that :) A mother to 3 Angels. I am using the creative passion God has given me to make unique and fun items to support me so I may stay at home with my children.

And the goodies.
Each and every piece is handcrafted and hand stamped. I do not use presses or machines to create the wording on my jewelry. As such, please note that the differences in the finish and ‘imperfections’ such as floating letters (not perfectly computerized and straight) and the like are part of the inherent character and charm of the piece and should not be considered defects.

I've seen stamped pieces before and I always thing I need them. Wouldn't these make fabulous gifts for all the women on your shopping list? The fact that they are hand-made makes it even more special. So, hop on over to Elli Noelle Designs and start shopping!

Tuesday is Election Day

2008-11-03T16:02:00.000-05:00

Unless you've been living under a rock the last year or so, you know that Tuesday, November 4th is Election Day. I would encourage all my fellow Americans to exercise your privilege as an American citizen to vote. Even if you're voting for that other guy. And Starbucks will give you a free coffee, just for doing the right thing.

happy halloween

2008-10-31T13:36:00.001-04:00

It's finally here! My kids have been so excited for this day to arrive. The costumes, the candy, being out past dark, the pumpkins ... it's just too much.

I wanted to share some information from a fun little site called Photojojo. It's got fun ideas of crazy things to do with your camera, your photographs, and different techniques to try. It's just fun. Yesterday they posted all about night portraits. It's worth reading before the kids head out tonight. Also, don't be afraid to turn off your flash tonight. Check out these fun photos:

A neighborhood game of flashlight tag. Cute, right!

But, look how fun it is with the flash off.

So be scary this Halloween and try your hand at some night portraits. I'd love to see what you do, so send me your pictures by Wednesday, November 5th and I'll post them to the blog.

Happy Halloween!!

three little monkeys

2008-10-27T15:46:00.001-04:00

I have to admit. When I was told three boys and a dog, I wanted to say all the sessions were filled. But in actuality, this family was a breeze ... even the dog. Just a little something to tide Mom over until the full gallery is posted.

And one in color. Can I just say that all my families did a great job this year in selecting their clothes! You all did.

GROSGRAIN MINI STORE OPENING NOVEMBER 6!!!!! AND BIG PREVIEW GIVEAWAY!!!!

2008-10-25T23:08:00.002-04:00

Hey, here's a fun little blog to check out.

Grossgrain by Kathleen Dougherty

A blog by an artsy craftsy, penny pinching, party planning, playdating, fashion finding, sci-fi loving, stay at home mommy who always keeps her sewing machine plugged in and loves all things cute!

I sewed a lot of my own clothes in college just because I was short on money and really longed for some things I could not afford (hence my stint with abercrombie and fitch but that's another story). Then for a couple years after college I sort of stopped sewing clothes and mostly stuck to curtains, slipcovers and Halloween costumes. Then around January, I was having coffee with a friend who asked if I sewed. I had been reading a couple sewing blogs and all of sudden I just had this surge of inspiration. I said, yes, I do....and after that I went home and actually started *really* sewing again. Only this time, for my girls, which is so much more rewarding for me. I started this blog to journal my work and the rest is history.

Kathleen is having a giveaway of a cute little skirt and to be entered into the giveaway, I needed to link to her blog. So, I played along and here's the link. Check it out.

It's GROSGRAIN MINI STORE OPENING NOVEMBER 6!!!!! AND BIG PREVIEW GIVEAWAY!!!!

one of my sisters

2008-10-24T15:11:00.000-04:00

Okay, if you didn't already know this. I have four sisters. No brothers. Just four sisters. One of them came out for a session on Saturday. Actually, two of them were there as my youngest sister was my assistant in the field. But, back to this sister and her beautiful family. I'm still editing the sessions, but this one jumped out at me. I like it. I think it is a wonderful example of family. A mother and father who love each other and demonstrate that love to their child. So, one little peek. The rest will be coming soon.

family photo tip

2008-10-22T15:09:00.001-04:00

So, how do you get a great, natural looking family portrait? Try this little tip:

Everyone look at Dad.

Now, look at Mom.

Okay, look at big sister.

Don't forget little brother.

Now everyone look at me. And voila, genuine smiley faces.

Wouldn't these be fun in a series spanning a hallway? I think so.

I'm in the thick of editing all of Saturday's great sessions. I'll be posting sneak peeks here and there for the next week.

only 3 sessions left

2008-10-17T00:06:00.000-04:00

Alright. If you've been waiting to book your session time for Saturday, NOW is the time. Well, actually these are the times:

11:00, 11:30, or 2:30

Spend the time and money to invest in something that won't lose its value .... your family.

I'll be out of the office a good chunk of time on Friday, but leave a message or send an email and I'll get in touch!

baby a

2008-10-16T23:31:00.000-04:00

2 monkeys + 1 sweet baby girl = true blessings

just five open slots

2008-10-15T14:30:00.002-04:00

The Gallery R Sessions are THIS Saturday. It should be a cool, mid fifties fall day with no forecast of rain. Yay! The sessions will take place in Birmingham and these are the open times:

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th
10:30 - booked, 11:00 11:30, 1:30 - booked, 2:30

-15-20 minute session
-maximum of 8 online proofs
-proofs shown in Rebecca's choice of black and white or color

-includes your choice of
(1) custom framed, signed 8 x 10 portrait
OR
(25) 5 x 7 Holiday Cards
OR
(1) Digital File Holiday Card

These are the last sessions for 2008!!! You know the economy is in the toilet so let's focus on what's important ... family. Spend some time together and you'll have beautiful portraits to cherish. Session fee is $165 + tax and due at time of booking. There is no additional purchase required but there is a full pricing sheet, including three Collections to order from starting at just $120.

Oh and did I mention that I'm offering some sweet incentives for purchasing Collections? Well, I am.

Call or Email today for full details!

what do we wear?

2008-10-15T13:40:00.001-04:00

So, for the most part I photograph individuals. But this time of the year, the families get in on the fun, too. The biggest question I get is "What should we wear?" For your holiday cards, I suggest to do something fun. Think layers and textures. You can coordinate your look without everyone wearing the same exact thing (although that's not a bad thing - just more traditional.) Pick a color scheme - denim, blue, white or denim, orange, green or even put everyone in something black and let them accessorize with their own color choice. I've had clients top simple white shirt and jeans with fun scarves, vests, hats, or ponchos. Just think COORDINATE. And to be honest, I suggest starting with the momma. I figure out what I'm going to wear, which is always something that I feel good in. And that will vary as much as my waistline seems to! Let's start with this sample outfit from Ann Taylor LOFT.

Then maybe I hit Old Navy for the rest of the family to pull together some green, creme and denim.

Then, this is what I do. I lay the outfits out on the bed and see what I think. I walk away and return later and take another look. Does anything stand out? If not, then we're good to go. Remember, this is the one time during the year you'll see some color from me so keep that in mind. To get you started, here are some highlights from last year's sessions. Everyone looked great!

And you can see the 2006 sessions here! 2006 in Birmingham

Fall Gallery R Sessions

2008-10-08T11:17:00.004-04:00

I didn't think I was going to be able to pull this off this year but I have ONE date for the fall Sessions. So, here's the scoop and you blog readers are the first to know!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th
10:00 - booked, 10:30, 11:00 11:30, 1:00 - booked, 1:30, 2:00-booked, 2:30, 3:00-booked, 3:30-booked
Location: TBD I've got my eye on a new location and I need to verify if I can hold the sessions there. Check back early next week for full details.

Session fee is $165 + tax and due at time of booking.
There is no additional purchase required but there is a full pricing sheet, including three Collections to order from starting at $120. Call or Email today to book your preferred time.

yes I do exist!

2008-10-08T10:49:00.003-04:00

So the blog has been unusually silent. There's this little thing called 'life' that keeps getting in the way. So, here's the deal. I'll start with the fact that I was 'tagged' by three bloggers (all local photographers) in the last two days.

Mandy, Amy and Anita

The rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Write 7 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post.
4. Pass on the tag.

1. My bottom teeth don't don't like up. I had a tooth on the bottom that grew in sideways, yes, sideaways. When I had braces in junior high, they pulled that tooth out and shifted everything towards the middle so now my bottom and top teeth don't line up.

2. My favorite color is silver.

3. When no one is home, I'll take the luxury of a long lunch and watch some silly girl show I've Tivod, like Grey's Anatomy or Beverly Hills 90210 or Privileged or America's Next Top Model or What Not to Wear.

4. My husband is truly my best friend and I always look forward to spending time together with him.

5. My office is a complete and utter mess ALL THE TIME.

6. I was in the Vatican City on Easter Sunday in 1996. I had flown to Italy for my sister's wedding and I also spent Good Friday watching the Pope perform the stations of the cross at the Colliseum in Rome.

7. If it wasn't for the last minute, I would never get anything done.

Okay, seven people to tag: Ruth, Bunchy, Jackie, Lisa, Karen, Cindy, Shannan

the 3Day is here!!!

2008-09-25T21:46:00.000-04:00

THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

Because of your support, not only did I meet the $2,200 fundraising goal, but so did EVERY member of my team. We have raised over $11,000 for breast cancer research and we could not have done it without the support of so many individuals. It has been such a rewarding experience already. We head out Friday morning and will walk and walk and walk. At the end of the day on Sunday, 1,000s of participants will have walked 60 miles in three days. Here is a link to the Supporter Page. There will be a live web cam and maybe you'll see our team. We're wearing lime green shirts with sneaker-wearing ladybugs. I will be sure to post pictures when I get back on Monday. Please pray for great weather, good conversations, yummy food, good sleeping and NO BLISTERS! (Can you tell what my greatest fear is right now?!?)

Again, thanks to all of you who are supporting me in prayer and those who supported financially. You are all appreciated.

Lastly, I wanted to send a shout out to those individuals you have told me about that have faced the pain of cancer - some are surviors, some are in the midst and some have lost the battle. We walk for them.

Carol
Chrissy
Susie
Gail
Eileen
Naomi
Janet
Dottie
Jean
Joyce
Eileen
Karen
Christina
Stacey
Millie
Kristy
Heidi

it's not too late

2008-09-12T17:03:00.000-04:00

to sign up for my photography classes. It really is a fun class that is very hands-on. Here's the scoop:

Are you the family photographer? Did you just great a great new digital camera and have no idea what all the buttons do? Do you know you have the cutest kids on the block and love to document every moment of their lives? Then join professional portrait photographer Rebecca Redman as she leads this portrait photography class. The classes will focus on portraits – photographs of people – and is geared towards the SLR camera (digital or film) user. An SLR camera has interchangeable lenses.

Each class will consist of a lecture and hands-on practice with your camera. The lecture includes numerous photographs to illustrate the information. Bring your camera and manual to each class as Rebecca will help you get familiar with using your camera. Optional weekly homework assignments are provided to keep you working through the material on your own pace. Topics covered will include: image capture, file organization, image manipulation, print resolution, cropping ratios, online and local printing resources and products ,composition, connection with the subject, looking for the light, posing, simple one-light set up, being aware of surroundings, basic understanding of aperture, depth of field, shutter speed, focal length, ISO, metering and camera modes.

The fifth week of class will be a one hour gallery showing and critique of student’s work. Rebecca combines her unique skill set as a photographer, educator, and mother to inform and delight students at all levels and help them improve their everyday family photographs.

A few of the districts even allow you to register online. Lake Orion classes start next week on Tuesdays so you better hurry! The dates for the other districts are on the calendar.

Lake Orion Registration
Troy Registration

just a few

2008-09-12T15:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, so a photographer friend posted this on her blog and I grinned from ear to ear when I watched it. I thought you might, too.

In my profession, I have the privilege of being able to capture these types of moments. The moments when you see a dad connect with his daughters. A mom who holds them all together. A family who loves each other. Now, I didn't see any cheering when we had the session, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that this dad would do anything for his girls. Just a few sneak peaks until you see your full gallery. I'm so excited for you to see the rest!

the 3Day is getting closer!

2008-09-05T17:19:00.001-04:00

The 3Day is just three weeks from today! I'm just at half way for my $2200 goal and I am praying the the rest of the donations will come in. Over Labor Day weekend, we had some huge training walks. On Saturday, I walked 16 miles with my team mate (and sister) Sarah and Misty, a close friend who is also doing the 3Day. We wound our way through Rochester Hills, stopping at Cosi for lunch. We also stopped at a gas station around mile 12 and had THE best candy bars of our life.

Then on Sunday, it was even better. This time, my team mate Kristin was also walking and we had all of the families out to Stoney Creek for the day to get our 18 miles in.

Misty, myself, Kristin and Sarah

We walked the first lap as a family with Andrew and Sarah on their bikes. The little missy made it just over 5 miles before she tired out. The boy had no problem and went ahead with a dad who was jogging the 6.2 mile loop. We took a short snack break and the walkers headed out for the second loop. Upon entering 'camp' our families had dinner waiting for us.

We ate, drank and took our shoes off for a bit. We started out on the third lap. We got a later start than we anticipated so we ended up finishing after dark. Walking over 18 miles sounds miserable, but I actually enjoyed the camaraderie of the day and was genuinely overcome by the support of my family. As I said, we ended up walking the last bit when it was dark and I hear this, "Yay, Mom!" off to the side. There were my husband and kids in the car making sure we were okay and safe. They followed us back to our starting point, lighting the way down our final path. We actually jogged the whole last stretch of the walk.

It was a great day and even though I now fully realize how difficult the actual walk will be, and how painful it is to walk with blisters, I am encouraged by how great I'll feel at the task we are accomplishing and the cause we are supporting. Blisters and all.

point betsie

2008-09-05T13:13:00.000-04:00

I felt like Point Betsie deserved her own post. I used a borrowed point and shoot for most of my trip, but brought out my trusty Nikon when we headed to Point Betsie. I think I actually got about five minutes to photograph before someone needed my attention and the SLR went back in the bag. But, those five minutes were worth it. A little bit of information about the lighthouse followed by some results of that five minutes exploring the area.

The Point Betsie Lighthouse, Benzie County's most famous landmark, is located on the Lake Michigan shore of the county just south of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and just north of Frankfort, Michigan. Point Betsie is the second most photographed lighthouse in the USA, and likely the most visited attraction in Benzie County. Watching the sunsets from Point Betsie is a long-standing tradition.

beulah

2008-09-05T10:58:00.001-04:00

So, we had a WONDERFUL visit to my uncle's home in Beulah. He was a superb host and my kids loved the lakes and his great cooking. A very special treat was a day spent tooling around in a pontoon boat on beautiful Crystal Lake. We did all the up north stuff - a visit to Gwen Frostic, a pie from The Cherry Hut, breakfast at The Brookside, overlook of the breakers at Frankfort, splashed in Lake Michigan at Point Betsie - and enjoyed every moment of it. A few shots from our too short visit. You know we'll be back!

Ah, lovely Beulah.

Andrew is an expert marshmallow roaster. Seriously! Perfectly brown every time. I guess he has the patience for it. And Sarah just has fun with it.

Felt like we were eating in a tree house on the deck of The Brookside.

The kids' first visit to Gwen's. We bought stationery, of course!

And in case you were wondering, JATOMBO is no urban legend. It was verified by a very good source.

it's been over a month

2008-09-05T10:41:00.003-04:00

Aack! I never neglect my blog for this long. So, I'm going to take the next little bit to try and get caught up from the last month. I'll do it in bits and piece all day. So I apologize in advance if the email updates fill up in inbox today!

First, I want to tell you about an event that my husband and I attend yearly. Detroit Uncorked is a premium wine tasting event with over 400 varieties of wine, light hors d'oeuvers, local entertainment and silent auction. This year it is Friday, September 19th. Tickets are already on sale and they generally do sell out.

We stay overnight in Downtown Detroit at The Inn on Ferry Street and I just can't say enough good things about this hotel. It is actually four restored homes and the service, shuttle van, and great breakfast make it such a special time.

Located in the East Ferry Street Historic District of Midtown Detroit, The Inn On Ferry Street sets the standard for elegant guest quarters and dedicated service. Just steps from the state's finest museums, acclaimed Detroit Medical Center and Wayne State University, the Inn is a relaxing change of pace from the standard business hotel. Four restored Victorian homes and two carriage houses abound in sophisticated luxury. The Inn evokes a strong sense of history that provides the perfect atmosphere for weddings, receptions and other social events. Whether you visit for a weekend, conduct a business meeting, or rent an entire house for a special occasion The Inn On Ferry Street is aptly accommodating. Don't forget to take our complimentary shuttle to theatres, stadiums, and all downtown restaurants located a mere 1.5 miles from the Inn.

I know there's been a lot of bad press about Detroit these past months, but we truly enjoy Detroit and this event is a great excuse to support our city. Here's a short clip about Detroit Uncorked. Maybe I'll see you there!

up north

2008-08-05T08:53:00.001-04:00

We are out of here for a few days. We're heading up north to visit my uncle in Beulah. My grandparents owned a cottage there so my dad and uncles spent most summers in Beulah. So, of course, growing up I spent a lot of summers there, too. It holds lots of fond memories for me and I'm excited to share them with my children. My mission: to see if it is an urban legend or not that my grandparents' summer cottage was named JATOMBO (after the three boys - Jack, Bob and Tom). It sounds so exotic! I'll be back next week and hopefully have loads of photos to share. Here's just one of The Cherry Hut when I made a cherry pie run last summer on an overnight stay in Traverse City.

the 3Day expo

2008-08-01T15:54:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday I had the fun of attending the local Breast Cancer 3Day Expo. Two of my teammates, my sisters Debbie and Sarah, were able to attend as well.

Debbie and I loaded up our kids into the car with us. This has truly been turning into a family experience for us.

We joined up with Sarah and made our way. The first thing we did upon arriving was to hit the bathroom.

Okay, so that's certainly not the most important thing but it is the first thing we did. Then we entered the main expo area and were immediately greeted by women in pink boas cheering us on. Just that was cool. We wrote encouraging letters to each other that will be delivered at camp and signed a large banner that will be on display in the opening and closing ceremonies. My kids wrote me letters and it took all that within me not to look over their shoulders and try to read them. I will just have to be surpised at camp.

Did I mention camp? That's right, we spend the nights in these tiny tents, two to a tent. Of course, everything is pink!

We learned about the pit stops, checked out training gear (I bought a second pair of shoes so I can start breaking them in) and had a few snacks. It was a good time. I feel more confident in my ability to complete the walk. The boy took a photo of all of us girls and he pointed out that he moved a bit so that we'd be on one side but you could see the balloons on the other side. Wonder where he gets it from?!?

And lastly, the trio of sisters that are walking: Deb, Sarah and myself.

I am getting closer to my support goal of $2200. I am currently at $775. A new round of thanks goes out to:

The Petrotta Family
The Calvert Family

I really need your help here. I would like to get the total support of $2200 collected by August 8th. If you are considering donating, please do so in this coming week. If I don't get the full donation, I am unable to walk. I've been so encouraged by the donations and the nice notes coming in with them. Please help me reach my goal. Any donation - $1 to $100 - is really needed. If you have already supported another 3Day Walker I would ask you to consider making a $3 donation to me. That's just $1 for each day of walking 20 miles. The button is just to your right. I am walking so that one day, we can cure breast cancer and no person will have to deal with such an unforgiving disease. I need your help. Thanks so much!

I need to borrow a Fuji Finepix!!!

2008-08-01T15:42:00.001-04:00

As many of you know, I decided to challenge myself with Project 366 this year. I have been taking one photograph a day using my new Fuji point & shoot. Well, yesterday I took the photo of my daughter in her new tee and three hours later when I turned it back on to show my sisters, the lens got stuck. It won't close or focus.

I can't take any pictures!

I'm not sure if you fully understand how much this devastates me. The camera is still under warranty so I am shipping it to Fuji for repair but I do not want to stop Project 366. This is truly a strange request, but if anyone has a Fuji Finepix F50FD that I can borrow for the next month or so, I would truly appreciate it. Yes, I can use my Nikon, but I was really enjoying the challenge of being creative and thinking outside the box with my little Fuji Finepix and would feel like I was cheating somehow. How much would I appreciate it? Enough to offer you a complimentary Gallery R Session. That's $165 value, folks. Please email or call if you're willing to take me up on this crazy offer!

Now get out there and enjoy this beautiful summer we've been having. Is it just me, or is there an abundance of fireflies this year? I've really been enjoying seeing their show of glow. Totally takes me back to being a kid.

had to get it

2008-08-01T15:39:00.000-04:00

Okay, I saw this tee shirt at Old Navy and had to get it. I thought all you photographer friends would appreciate this as much as I do.

No Pictures, Please

you know we're girls

2008-07-29T09:13:00.003-04:00

because we had to get together to talk about stuff we could have easily phoned or emailed about. I'm talking about a great group of local photographers that got together last week. We all met at the I Shot Someone in Detroit workshop and we're trying to have monthly roundtable meetings to work on the business end of our photography businesses. We're pretty darn good at the photography part but since the business part is how we earn a living, we're trying to help and encourage each other out. It's a great feeling to be working with local photographers instead of feeling like we need to compete against each other.

This month we had, from left to right, Jackie of Jackie Blair Photography, me having a bad hair day, Jennifer of J. Urbin Photography, Amy of Lil Sweet Pea Photography, Jen of The Family Room and Sarah of Blink Photography. Anita of Anita J C Photography was there, too, but I forgot to take the photo before she left. Sorry! Looking forward to next month's roundtable. Oh, and boys are welcome, too.

living with photographs

2008-07-29T09:04:00.000-04:00

Okay, I won't be able to do many more of these as I'm running out of rooms! I think I still have my living and dining rooms, the kids' bathroom and eventually the basement. So, enjoy it while it lasts. The kitchen was clean, the kids were at Grandma's so it was actually staying clean and I thought I better take advantage of it.

client faves

2008-07-25T12:18:00.002-04:00

Let me take a moment to introduce you to another fabulous client and handsome young man that I have had the privilege of photographing for the last three years.

My name: Claudia

My occupation: Business Operations Coordinator (and mom)

I live in: Lake Orion

A little factoid about me that not many people know about: I had the opportunity to drive cars on the Waterford Hills Race Track, and absolutely loved it........could be a race car driver in my future?

Okay, so I'm picturing Claudia in a racing helmet, gloved hands on the wheel, zooming around the track with a huge smile on her face!

One of my fave foods: any kind of dip

If I didn’t have a child, I’d drive a: Saturn Sky

They are pretty to look at. Plus a convertible is always a bonus.

Since I do have a child, I drive a: Saturn Vue

And it's a cool orange. No soccer-mom-mini-van here.

If I had three hours to myself, with nothing that had to get done, I would: find a Garden Walk and take a tour

My favorite image from my session with Rebecca and what I feel about this image. I can't pick just one image or two. I've had such a tough time selecting photos from the sessions because I love them all. Rebecca manages to capture Derek's personality in every one of them. I even love the images where Derek and I are together (and I'm NOT photogenic). They really show the love that we share.

Claudia is too modest. She looks beautiful in these portraits but I do agree that the love is so obvious.

Can I just insert that I have always wanted a portrait like this of me and my son? It just makes my heart melt.

And a few more of a boy being a boy.

completely random

2008-07-22T20:47:00.003-04:00

Okay, so these have absolutely nothing to do with photography.

A fun little video that just makes me giggle. How fun is Dancing Matt? Simple things truly bring people together. From Matt's site:

A few months into his trip, a travel buddy gave Matt an idea. They were standing around taking pictures in Hanoi, and his friend said "Hey, why don't you stand over there and do that dance. I'll record it." He was referring to a particular dance Matt does. It's actually the only dance Matt does. He does it badly. Anyway, this turned out to be a very good idea.

I love how, even once bunches of people join in, you can still see Matt with his distinctive moves. It's kinda like a Where's Waldo?

And check out this cool site. Wordle lets you make 'word clouds.' Not quite sure what the point is, but it's cool. I could see doing this with your wedding vows, your high school graduation speech, the first story your child wrote, etc. This is when I put in the last few posts from my blog. You'll need to click on it to see it larger.

something a little different

2008-07-17T13:46:00.000-04:00

Usually I try and post a sneak peek for my clients on the blog. I select a few of my favorites and post with a snippet about the session. Just a little something to hold them over until their full gallery is ready. With the June Gallery R sessions, I put a big rush on the proofs and I didn't even get the chance to do sneak peeks. So, I thought I would take some time now and post a few images from the sessions. I followed the example of Marianne from Marmalade Photography and asked my clients to share their thoughts on the session and their portraits and added a few of my comments in italic. I'll start with Alissa. I've been photographing her family for seven years now and they are just a pleasure to work with. Here are E & A.

My name: Alissa

My occupation: Stay-at-home mom and student

I live in: Birmingham

Alissa is so modest. Her home is fabulously decorated and has such great style, if I may add. And I particularly enjoy seeing photographs from previous sessions when I visit!

A little factoid about me that not many people know about: I was accidentally stabbed in the side by a Bayonette gun held by a war veteran when I was 4 or 5 years old.

Ouch!

One of my fave foods: Mexican

One of my fave brands of kids clothes: Mini Boden

And they also have great photographs in their catalogs. So fun!

Where I like to shop for grown up clothes: Nordstrom's, Banana Republic

When I indulge, I indulge in: Dairy Queen Blizzards

My favorite images from my session with Rebecca and what I feel about this image. I love the two images of Ella and Ava standing in front of the tall grass. In one they are holding hands and dancing, and in the other they have their hands around each other's waist. They look so carefree and happy against the beautiful background setting.

Carefree is exactly the word that describes the first image.

And a few more of my favorites that I couldn't resist sharing.

See you soon!

upcoming class on Monday in Rochester

2008-07-09T11:31:00.000-04:00

So, I'm officially closed for the summer but that doesn't mean I'm not working. I have a few outstanding orders at the lab and framer and will get those to you right away. I'm also scheduling a few high school senior rep sessions, (still looking for 2009 seniors so send them my way, please) and have a photography class this Monday through Rochester Community Education. It's not too late to register. You can call their office, (248) 726-3165 , and get registered today.

The class will focus on how to use natural light to its best advantage and also be a quick review of composition. All of that information could come in pretty handy for an upcoming contest, hint. hint. Hope to see you there!

getting there

2008-07-09T11:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, so the rain and the heat haven't been slowing me down too much in my training for the Breast Cancer 3Day in September.

As of today, I've walked 97 miles and all of you have supported me in the amount of $665. Thanks! The latest supporters:

Dan & Christine
Grandma Beare
Joppich Family
Montalbano Family
Vivian
Legler Family

I am at 30% of my $2,200 goal and am hoping to have all support raised by the end of July. Please continue spreading the word for me. I do appreciate it.

living with photographs

2008-07-09T10:08:00.001-04:00

Another installment in the video clips of photographs displayed in my home to inspire you in your own home. Enjoy!

one month down

2008-06-29T22:42:00.000-04:00

Whew. So I have one full month of trainging for the Breast Cancer 3Day behind me. In this month, I walked a total of 77 miles. All of you have supported me in the amount of $505. A new round of thanks goes out to

Sherril & Danny
Dan & Family

I am truly humbled by your generosity and your support of me in this event. I walked the 10 mile route from Rochester Hills to Lake Orion again on Saturday and the second time was easier. Here's a snap of 3/5 of my team when we finished.

On the left is Kristin. Some of you may recognize her as she works with me during the busy season. I'm in the middle and my sister Sarah is on the right. She's just a young thing (15 years younger than me!) so she pumped out her 10 like it was nothing.

Tonight I got the whole family involved. My husband and I walked while the kids rode their bikes. We went 3 miles to a playground, let the kids play, and then headed home and had ice cream. My new recruits were grumbling on the way there but my the time we were heading back, everyone was all giggles. It was a fun night. I hope to have them join me in my short training walks on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I might need to buy more ice cream!

I was busy this last week proofing all the June Gallery R Sessions but look for some recent images to be posted this week. The June sessions were great and I got to see some terrific clients again and met some new ones. It was a good week.

on track

2008-06-22T21:07:00.001-04:00

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Claudia
Eliana & Family
Missy
John
Kristen
Joyce
Barry & Sarah
Amy & Family
Jen & Kiersten
Fred
Christian, Michelle & Leo

Thanks to everyone who has supported me so far! You've given $380 and I'm on my way. I just finished my 10 mile training walk so I'm up to a grand total of 53 training miles. I know. That might not sound like much to some of you, but this is coming from a girl who honestly can't remember a time she would have walked 10 miles ON PURPOSE and had been a couch potato until just a few weeks ago. The weather was perfect, 70 degrees and most of the trail we walked is covered so it was just amazing. We started in Lake Orion and ended up in Rochester Hills. Wow. I felt a real sense of accomplishment and I am starting to realize the impact this whole event just might have on me.

Keep the donations coming and I'll keep up the updates. Next time I'll take my camera with me and grab a few snaps to share.

celebrate

2008-06-20T12:55:00.000-04:00

Hey, just heard about this from my friend, Ruth. If you are free, head on over to your closest Cold Stone this afternoon.

got to play with my own kids

2008-06-19T20:30:00.000-04:00

As part of the workshop on Wednesday, I brought my two in to be models and actually got to photograph them myself, too. I put a whole bunch together in a fun Animoto clip. And check out how that fish-eye lens makes me look thinner. I definitely need to get me one of those.

Okay, the clip has music so if you're at work, turn the volume down. If you're at home, pump it up and be prepared for some visual overload! I'll post some individual pics later. But keep this in mind as the next Gallery R Session will be Urban.

day one at the workshop

2008-06-17T08:05:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I am getting ready to fly out the door, I've got a complete disaster of a house, my kids are still in their pjs, I haven't eaten breakfast and yet here I am editing just a few quick pics from yesterday because it was just so much fun. A group of about 30 local photographers are meeting to shoot, discuss business, and just get to know each other. The organizers, Amy and Chris & Michelle, rented us a great studio space in Detroit in the Russel Industrial Center.

And we had a slew of models to work with. You could tell that these were photographer's kids because when you asked them not to smile, they had a super no-smile face. My kids have it, too. They don't look angry or sad, they just look like they're not smiling. I can't explain it but these kids have it down to a tee. I pretty much stuck to location work and found all the kids eight and older. I had fun playing with some rented lenses (check out the wide angle-fish eye lens) and did some fun quick editing with the processing. Thanks for peeking.

happy father's day

2008-06-15T21:25:00.002-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all you dads! Here's a snap of me and my dad. I can blame, I mean, THANK him for my photography addiction. I know I would not be a professional photographer today if it weren't for the influence of my dad. I always joke that if we were at the Grand Canyon, my dad's the guy saying, "Hey, go stand over there and get in the picture." No wonder I'm a portrait photographer. Thanks, Dad. I love you bunches.

And one of my guy. I love you always and I'm so proud of how you work so hard to care of our family.

heading to the D

2008-06-15T15:55:00.003-04:00

I am out of here for a few days as I attend a photography workshop being held in downtown Detroit. I love the name of the workshop. Hey, I'm from Detroit. I can love it.

I am really looking forward to meeting a bunch of amazing photographers and improving my skills. I'll try and post a few images each day, but no guarantees on how tired I'll be when I get home. Please feel free to leave voice and email messages but just know that I will return them on Thursday. Thank you.

i'm doing the 3Day

2008-06-12T14:23:00.001-04:00

Okay. I'm doing it. I'm walking 60 miles over three days the last weekend in September in order to raise funds for breast cancer research. I'm on a team with my friend Kristin, my sisters Sarah and Debbie and Deb's friend Kate. We are the KD Bugs. So, why am I doing it? I don't have breast cancer. None of my four sisters, mom, stepmom, mil, or five aunts have breast cancer. I can't think of one woman in my family who does. But I know of so many friends who have family members trying to beat breast cancer. I've realized that it can affect a whole family. So, I'm walking for every woman, for every man, for every child that is affected by breast cancer. I'm walking to start a healthy change in my own life. I'm walking because I can.

I'm going to be keeping a mileage log on my blog and am hoping that you will be able to contribute money to our team. In order to participate in the 3Day walk our team needs to raise $11,000. Now, in this economy I know that seems crazy. It is crazy. So, I'm hoping you all get a little crazy with me. Every donation will help. $1, $10, $25, $50, $100 or even more. I will appreciate every penny that is donated towards breast cancer research.

So, keep me accountable. Make sure I'm training. Tell everyone you know. With a quick click on the little white envelope below the post you can email this post to friends and family. I can't be shy in asking for donations. We've got to raise $11,000 so I'll take it where we can get it. I've included a donation button in the menu to your right. Just click it and it will take you to my fundraising page. I'll be sure to keep you up to date on the progress. And I truly appreciate your donations. THANK YOU!

living with photographs

2008-06-12T14:07:00.000-04:00

I know. I know. I've been behind. As many of you parents know, the last few weeks of school are crazy and I've been super busy. I'll try and post some of what I've been up to later next week. But for now, a few more ideas for working photographs into your home design.