Ready, Set....Create! Free Photobook from Picasso!

If you've always wanted to try your hand at creating a photobook....now is the time! They are easy to do, have a classy, elegant look, and make EXCELLENT gifts (it's never too soon to start your holiday gift projects)!

For the month of August (expires 8/31/2010) Picaboo is giving us the chance to create a photobook and pay only for shipping! I've created these online photobooks in the past and love the way they turn out! They are so quick and yet look so professional! Simply use coupon code: FREEBK and get started creating your photobook today!

enjoy trying something new!
-d.

Deals of the Day...

There are lots of great bargains to be found out there this holiday weekend, and there is no better deal than FREE, right?! But hurry and check them out...some expire TONIGHT!

Walgreen's is repeating their FREE 8x10 collage print deal (Coupon code: VDAY), as well as offering a Friends and Family coupon for 15-20% savings! Expires: Friday, 2/12

For my collage, I selected pictures from an event I attended last summer and will cut them apart and add them into my scrapbook - because nobody said we have to LEAVE them in collage form! It's a great way to print out a bunch of pictures...all for FREE!

And for those of you who love Bebe...or believe you can never have too many tote bags...Bebe is offering a FREE tote bag to all their Facebook fans. Once you sign up to be a fan, go to Wall Photos and click on the tote picture and print it out!
Expires: Monday, 2/15

enjoy some great bargain shopping this weekend!
-d.

Say it isn't so.....

Forbes announced a new list of companies in dire financial struggles and while reading through it my heart sank. Eastman Kodak, Applebees, and US Airways were just a few of the companies named. While the appearance of US Airways name on the list was of little surprise to me (I still recall the horrible service we received back in 2007), I was very sad to see the other two there.

The digital photography craze has been difficult on a lot of companies close to my heart, but the camera industry probably most of all. It has been costly for them to make the transition from film to digital. And while I too have switched completely to digital photography, the past five digital cameras I've purchased have all been Kodak. What can I say, I'm sentimental that way.

As for Applebees financial struggles, I was a little more shocked. Their restaurants (at least in my area) always seem to be pretty busy. They say the financial shortfall is due in part to their slashed prices to draw customers in (it has worked on me). I can completely sympathize with that, but their idea to turn things around has me baffled. They now say they are looking at remodeling their restaurants in hopes of boosting patronage. How is that going to make me want to eat there? ...Enjoy their food more? ...Make dining out fit into my budget more often? The logic is completely lost on me. I do not decide where I want to eat by asking myself or my friends, "Who has the nicest looking restaurant?" That seems so absurd. I get the old adage, It takes money to make money, but in a time of financial struggle, heading to Pottery Barn to redecorate my office doesn't seem like the solution to getting more work!

But hey, that's just my opinion!

Other restaurants seem to be trying more creative solutions during these hard economic times. USA Today reported Burger King will try to increase sales in South Beach...by adding BEER to their menu at their Whopper Bars! They will make the addition in mid-February and may expand into other areas such as Vegas after that. Now the catch phrase is likely to become, "Would you like beer with that?"

enjoy the companies you love, and support them; don't assume they will always be there.
-d.

Deal of the Day....

Walgreens (my personal favorite pharmacy) has a great TODAY ONLY deal going on!

To help promote collage prints they are offering a FREE 8x10 collage to their Facebook fans. Coupon code: FANFREE. Simply upload up to 20 photos, select collage, and it will arrange them for you. If you don't like the look, simply click "view options" and then "shuffle." I think I hit the button about 50 times before I settled on the layout I wanted. Then just tell them whaich store you'd like to pick it up at and...viola! So simple! I used the offer to compile a collection of flower/outdoor shots I have taken over the past few years. I love my new, little portfolio piece!

The ironic thing about this offer is this past Monday I spent quite some time creating a portfolio collage real similar to this one - manually. Creating the picture boxes, making sure they were all aligned evenly, cropping them to fit into one large box together......when I could have merely logged on to Walgreens.com and had it completed for me in a matter of minutes! Well, now I know!

What will you do with your collage print? It's perfect timing for a great (and very cost-effective) Valentine's Day gift or a 2009 year-in-review collage for either a scrapbook title page or a main picture for a quick and easy 2010 calendar. The ideas are endless. But this offer isn't....it ends tonight! Well, the FREE part anyway. It's available any day we like for only $3.99.

Thanks Walgreens!

enjoy the generosity of others.....then pay it forward!
-d.

Thanksgiving Reflection -

Sometimes life gets crazy and we get stressed out. Sometimes life throws so much at us, we wonder if we can possibly survive one more blow. I'm at that point. The point of wondering if I can take any more. I have had so many things hit me in the past couple weeks that I find myself physically in pain, sleepless, and crying at the drop of a hat. I know it is unhealthy and I want to rise above it all. One foot in front of the other; one day at a time. I survive with those thoughts carrying me along.

Then tonight I stumbled upon something I wrote last year following Christmas; a blog entry that was misfiled in a strange place on my computer. After a year, it suddenly popped up in front of me. It was like a message telling me to hang on longer, be stronger. A reminder that I'll make it through again this year just as I did last year as my Grandmother was placed in a memory care facility for her battle with Alzheimer's, while one of my children chose a dangerous path that worried me, and as I struggled to keep my head above the water financially and physically.

Here is what I wrote:If you believe..........sometimes magic happens!

"I had one of the most stressful pre-Christmas seasons ever this year. Between being sick for over a week and a half and having a lot of family things going on, I struggled to keep the holiday spirit alive in my house and had very little time to focus on holiday preparations. But through it all, my absolute LOVE of Christmas carried me through. One thing I held onto was the dream of a white Christmas. I haven't seen snow on Christmas since my girls were toddlers and I just felt I needed it this year. So I believed. I believed even thought the weatherman said it would rain. I believed even though everyone reminded me it hardly ever snows in Seattle on Christmas. I believed even when I woke up and it wasn't there. I believed and guess what....?! IT SNOWED!!!! We looked up as we were unwrapping gifts and saw that the rain was beginning to mix with snow. Then it turned all to snow. And it snowed for hours! And to me it was as though the Lord whispered into my ear, "Here you go. Thanks for believing and hanging in when the going got rough." In that second all the frustrations of the pre-holiday season washed away and my world was at total peace. My Christmas spirit bucket was once again overflowing with love, faith and joy. It was my favorite holiday gift and it didn't even require fancy wrapping or a bow!"

I had just been thinking about how much a white Christmas would mean to me this year the other day. I had completely forgotten that for a brief part of the day, we enjoyed one last year.

Funny how sometimes we forget in the midst of stress and frustration the simple joys that are bestowed upon us. Our gratitude slips away as we seek for help for new problems. So this Thanksgiving remember that even in times of adversity, there are many things to be thankful for. Moments that warmed our hearts. Small things that brought great joy. And people we are blessed to share our lives with.

I am thankful for many things, but mostly my family and friends who are there for me, supporting me and loving me unconditionally. And for a heart that can see goodness even during the storm, and for the faith that assures me I'll make it through one more time.

enjoy a holiday filled with reflections of all that you love and are thankful for.
God Bless.
-d.

Not enough to do this summer?

Is that even remotely possible? Not for us. Like every summer we are busy, busy, busy. July was mostly work-busy, but I am happy to say the past couple weeks have been more play-busy (my favorite kind!!!)

This past weekend was Seattle's Seafair Cup (hydroplane races) so we spent two days out on Lake Washington in our boat. Two of Rog's old school buddies (from OR and CO) even made it up to join in the fun! We enjoyed a nice dinner out at McCormick's and Schmick's on Lake Union Saturday night and the bone-in rib steak was pure heaven! The steamed clams were also delish and now I am totally motivated to go dig some ourselves (add that to the calendar)!

Speaking of the calendar...While reading through my in-box this morning and reading about the recent DSP/Adobe Laptop crop in CA, I was presented with another awesome idea to add to it!

A Photo Walk.

You simply gather together a group of photography buffs (aren't most all scrapbookers photography buffs?), make a plan (select the path/destination, search out unique vantage points, print out a few "cool" shot ideas for the camera crew to keep in mind), and ENJOY a day out and get some spectacular pictures!

I can't wait to do this! Seattle offers some wonderful shots...downtown, Farmers' Market, the surrounding mountains, the lakes, the Puget Sound waterfront...we are very fortunate to have endless photo opportunities!

Here are a couple creative picture ideas I saw done by the DSP/Adobe gals...

* Gather the group in front of a store window and instead of window shopping, take advantage of the reflection and do some window snapping! It made a really cute group photo!

* Take note of the shadows that lay before you. Snap a shot of your own shadow on the sidewalk. It makes a fun, funky photo.

* Do a little research/web surfing to discover out-of-the-way vantage points and unique views to inspire even the most seasoned photographers. Think outside the box a little. It's time to see your city from a new angle!

* Seek out locations that will present opportunities for some interactive shots. Statues to pose with, hat stores that let you model the wares, interactive fountains, etc...

So watch out calendar, a sunny, fall day next month will be deemed Fall Photo Walk 2008. Anybody local want to join me?! I'm already mapping out the course!

If you're not local and decide to put together a Photo Walk in your hometown, come back and share a link to your pictures so we can all share in the fun!

enjoy the fun opportunities that you are presented with each day!
-d.

A Tourist in my own Hometown

With Roger's family in town visiting from Arkansas, we spent the weekend touring the local sights. Here are a few shots I captured along the way...

We headed to Vancouver, Canada to ride the gondola up Grouse Mountain (a mere 3700 feet above sea level).

Then headed to Seattle to check out our own scenic views atop the Space Needle.

Then off to the Pike Place Market to see if we could spot any Flying Fish...

(Notice the receiver behind the counter is a tourist? Now she can say she caught that fish dinner herself!!!)

Even though I was born right here in Seattle, I never tire of seeing my city full of life and energy. The blue skies and sunshine were just what we ordered and the breathtaking views and people watching opportunities never disappoint.

enjoy touring your own town now and then,
-d.

Our State Flower in her Prime

I used to wonder why in the world the Rhododendron plant was Washington's state flower. I just didn't get it.

My Grandmother never wondered though. She has loved these plants for as far back as I can remember. After spending a day in her yard taking pictures before we sell the house, I too saw the reason.

They are incredible when they are fully grown, and in full bloom. The colors are amazing! Here are just a couple shots I captured last weekend.

enjoy the beauty found in your own back yard,

-d.

'Tis the Season...

I absolutely LOVE this time of year!!

So many activities going on...so much to see. Literally. For visual people like me, there is sooo much to take in during the holiday season. Lights and color everywhere. Movement in every direction. I just seem to absorb the energy from everything around me. The feel of fun just floats in the air.

Last night a group of friends and I headed to Bellevue Square for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (one of my faves!), a quick dash into Macy's for Frangos (a holiday candy tradition), and to watch the outdoor performance of Snowflake_Lane.

Then we headed across the way to visit the Bellevue Botanical_Garden for their annual Garden D'Lights. It is amazing! Volunteers spend most of the previous year creating spectacular flowers and plants out of holiday lights and then begin "planting" them throughout the gardens in early October. The event is free, although donations are encouraged and parking is $5 in their lot. It is worth the visit! Even a little rain couldn't dampen the fun! Shannon and I took tons of pictures and both are thinking we need to return again before it ends on New Year's Eve. They even have a little Christmas shop that sells ornaments and decor (as well as a video of the garden lights!) and I found a few ornaments to add to the tree this year!

It was a fun night and I am glad we all decided not to let the bad weather conditions keep us from going. I really look forward to our Girls Night Out events. During the holiday frenzy we have to remember to take time out for ourselves...and our girlfriends.

Update: I added a couple more pics that Shannon got with her camera. My battery died half way through the light tour so I didn't get as many photos as I would've liked!

enjoy your holiday happenings!

-dw

Back in Washington...

Rog and I arrived home from Arkansas late last night seeing only little snipits of proof that we had missed the winter's first snow fall. The snow was being washed away quickly by the pouring rain. It is still pouring this morning and flood watches are quickly taking over our top local news stories. We have had over 3" of rain since last night!

We went to Arkansas for Rog's nephew's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and the time with family meant the world to us. While it was a quick trip, we were blessed with lots of time to visit and catch up. We spent the night at the reception hotel on Saturday and stayed up till the wee hours laughing and joking with Rog's sister and brother-in-law. It felt so good to be there to celebrate a happy occassion this time.

The church was decorated all in white lights, tule, and holiday trees, wreaths and flowers. It turned out sooooo beautiful. The flowergirl...aka: the "snow angel"...was led down the aisle in a white and red sleigh as Martina McBride's In My Daughter's Eyes played...it was absolutely breathtaking.

enjoy your precious moments with family
-dw

Early Riser...

Some days I wonder why I have to be such an early riser. Sometimes I just want to sleep in and catch up, but it always seems my internal alarm goes off and wakes me up.
Last week nature reminded me why it pays to get up early...
Witnessing the sun rise is always a gentle reminder that each day is a fresh start. A new chance. Another day to accomplish what our hearts seek. But sometimes, it is also a moment of beauty that simply takes our breath away. Vibrant colors filling the sky. A glow like nothing else. It makes me stop in my tracks and just linger there, watching the fast moving changes in color and light. It is incredible. And so worth getting up for!

enjoy the beauty of each day...
-d.

Let's Hear It...

What digital camera do YOU currently use? Do you love it? Wish you could trade it in on another model?
Rog and I have begun camera shopping as our Kodak is not serving my needs as well anymore. It is a great camera for some things...and I love it a lot more now that I use it to its true potential...but the trouble with using something up to its potential? It soon has you wanting to advance past its potential!

Canon? Nikon? Olympus? Where to go from here? We are both leaning toward the Canon, but want to hear from YOU on what your camera experiences have been...good and bad!

enjoy the start of a fresh week!
-dw

Oh, the Joy!

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! Even though the sun didn't really shine for Mom's Day, it was still a warm, fuzzy day for me. Rog suggested a trip to IKEA! While that may not sound like an exciting way to spend Mother's Day to you, it is pure heaven to me! We did our normal enter through the exit strategy and headed for the "As Is" section. Yes, we were just there last Sunday, but everything changes so fast it is like a new experience each time.

So here is a pic of my Mother's Day gift from Rog...An Expedit Bookshelf! I've had white bookshelves lined up on this wall since setting up the studio, but they were old and not in the best shape, so Rog thought this would be a much sturdier alternative! He says I have a tendency to over-load the weight capacity! Hmmm....maybe.

Melissa also filled my day with fun organizing stuff...part of my gift from her were three mini-colanders! I quickly filled this one with all my wood mounted monogram stamps!!! It is soooo cute!

I spent the morning loading up the new shelves! Total Fun! While there are still some empty shelves now, they won't be that way for long! The room is really coming together and just having it neater and more functional, makes me want to dig in and play!

My other favorite thing besides organizing is party planning and decorating so.....Friday and Saturday I helped a good friend put on a wedding. We went to Pike Place Market and got some absolutely beautiful flowers (a LOT of them) for a screaming deal!!! I was amazed! From those flowers we created a bridal bouquet, an attendant bouquet, lined the stone hearth with five vases of flowers and still had great arrangements left for all the necessary places! The wedding was beautiful and so much fun to be involved in! Congrats to Ryan and Tamara....We wish them all the best!!!

I managed to click off a few photos in between tasks so I thought I'd share my favorites!

enjoy the magic reflecting back at you.....

-dw

We learn what we live...

I believe that is how the quote goes.
And how true it is.

I had two very prominent examples of how important picture taking was as I grew up. I still, at 41, have strong memories of my grandmother 's endless mission to capture the people and travels of her life. Always toting around at least one full packet of newly developed pictures to share with the world. And even as a child, as I tired of holding the poses for what seemed like an eternity, a lesson was being absorbed. Take it now; share it later. Let this moment live on. My dad's captivating shots of nature have always been an inspiration to me as well, and I have tons of childhood photos because he was always snapping pictures. Mostly of me, but hey, I'm an only child!

Now it is my turn to pass the torch. And pass it I have, even without realizing it. My daughter decided to take a photography class again this year. She had tried once before, but found the teacher a little too in the box for creative artistic expression (okay, that was my definition, but I was just putting a name to her frustration! LOL!) But this year's teacher has the right idea. Assign a project and give the students freedom to be creative. Now not only is she racking up magnificent grades in the class, but her work is headed for the local art show and a community display soon!

I am soooo proud. I love that she has such a great eye and natural talent. I love that she is following the path of her parent, grandparent and great-grandparent! I love that we all have this passion in common. I love that she set out to do well and is exceeding all our expectations. And I love that when she borrowed my camera for today's photo shoot, it was returned in perfect condition! LOL!

It is so funny how we set examples that we are not even aware of. I naturally loved photography because it was always around me. Now she loves it too because it was always around her. So to celebrate her, I thought I'd share a few of the pictures she shot today at Seattle's Pike Place Market....
enjoy life as it comes full circle,
-dw

Happy May Day!!!!