Shutterfly Cards/Gifts: $50 Giveaway!!!

So my wonderful sister Beth just took our family pictures!!!! Yay!!! Here is a sneak peak...but it makes me want to out together some sort of Christmas/end of year card to send out to everyone!!!

So Shutterfly is going to make your day---one of you lucky readers is going to get some help with their cards this year (or anything else you want to make)! I've used Shutterfly every year I think except for maybe one...their cards are amazing and their shipping is fast!

I went out to Shutterfly's site to see what they are doing new this year and I am having such a hard time deciding what type of card to do this year...New card design styles for 2013 - 5x7 folded tri fold & back of card designs

o   Classic: Traditional colors, iconic illustrations, aspirational sentiments, snowflakes, monogram

o   Contemporary: trend forward colors, texture and layering, water color techniques, shine, glitter, Instagram pictures are perfect for this style

o   Whimsy: humor and nostalgia meet, fun sentiments

o   Merry and Bright: all about color and having fun

o   Religious: metallic type treatments, incorporated story ideas

o   Photo Basics: multiple colors, vertical type, family name highlights

Okay isn't this tri-fold card amazing???I totally want to do this one...but is it too much for people? I mean it is like a mini photo album...book...should I go for something more simple?

  Or this one? 

Choices, choices...and you'll have to make your own choices as well! I also like to finish up my year by making a photo book to review my year...I've done one for each year that we've been married, almost five years! Amazing! I also like to make my Dad a calendar for the following year as he loves picture calendars!

Well, down to the fun part!!! Shutterfly is giving me $50 credit to their site to offer to one of you lucky readers! Also included is free shipping! To enter please leave me a comment telling me what your favorite card on Shuterfly's website is that you would want to use this year...and let me know if you think simple or more complex is better? Giveaway ends November 22nd at 11:59pm!

Also just so you know there will be a Twitter Party #PhotosYouLove on November 15 at 8 PM ET for Shutterfly with @ResourcefulMom. 

Disclosure: I am receiving a credit to Shutterfly for writing this review but my opinions are totally my own...it will just help me order the cards I intended on making anyway!

4.5 Year Anniversary Photo Shoot (Check this photographer out)

Can it really have been 4.5 years since Joshua and I got married? In some ways it seems like that long--take our three children that are growing so quickly and in some ways it seems not so long ago--take the fact that we still are in love and our love is stronger!

A friend of ours has started a photography service and we are here to show off her amazing work!!! Her name is Kristin and she was so much fun to work with. We met on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a photo shoot and we managed to get in quite a few pictures in between the rain showers.

She had great, creative ideas and she picked an amazing spot as there was so many different landscapes to choose from...a field of tall grass, short grass to sit on, a stone bridge, a road to walk on...so fun!!!

I love how she was able to get candid pictures and great poses. She really captured Joshua and I which makes me really happy!!! She was really laid back and fun!

She also brought some great props--the picture frame (which I will show tomorrow, so as not to overwhelm you with pictures), a nice picnic tablecloth to set on the wet ground so we could lay down a blanket and not get it wet...she also made sure we had bug spray (yay, no bug bites).

Joshua being the amazing man he is brought his hat which made for cute and fun pictures!

Kristin also suggested Joshua bring his guitar which was a great choice...she has a great list of props and tips on her site for preparing for the photo shoot, check them out!

Kristin played around a bunch with close ups and angles, love that I have different pictures to choose from!

This made for an amazing date night! We did this without the kids and were able to just have fun and be in love!

Love this picture (thanks to my sister for loaning me the skirt)!

We also brought a favorite book for a prop, this book is special as it was a gift Joshua gave me while we were just starting our relationship and it is a favorite read aloud between us!

Kristin's turn around time on the pictures was super fast, we had the shoot on Sunday and I had the pictures by Tuesday, and I got a great selection. They are all on her website and you can download them or order them. There are too many for me to put on here but I'll do some more tomorrow.

So go check out Kristin and sign up for a photo session, it would make an amazing gift for your spouse or family member. She does couples, babies, family, etc. Her website is here: http://www.windypoplarsphotography.com/ and her facebook is https://www.facebook.com/WindyPoplarsPhotography?ref=hl she is doing a special for the month of July of $50 for a session (she spends 1-2 hours with you) and afterwards the price will be going up...so definitely try to snag a time this month...she is really amazing and so fun to work with!

Sneak Peek of Newborn Photo Shoot

How I love my little Chloe...she is gaining quite fast--she is already over 8 pounds and she was 6 pounds 2 ounces when she was born. She is four weeks old and eats great! Here are a few picture my sister Beth took yesterday...

Shutterfly Summer Photo Contest

 I don't know about everyone else but I seem to take lots of extra pictures during the summer since there is so much to do outside and places to go and people to visit! Well Shutterfly is hosting a photo contest this summer that you should really go and enter, I mean come on, I know that there are plenty of good photos floating around out there from this summer so go over and enter in a picture of something you've been doing this summer and enter into one of their themes (listed below). This contest is just starting so you have time!

Long Live Summer – Facebook Photo Contest details - 7/9 – 8/12 Multi-week summer themed photo sweepstakes with instant win prizes.

Win a trip for four to The Bahamas and a professional photo shoot so you’ll remember your vacation forever.  All you need to do is upload your favorite photo and caption based on the theme of the week.  Get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering! You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period.

PHOTO THEMES

•       Week 1(7/9): Americana

•       Week 2 (7/16): Great Outdoors

•       Week 3 (7/23): Water Fun

•       Week 4 (7/30): Sports & Activities

•       Week 5 (8/6): Parties & Celebrations

PRIZES

•       Instant win prizes just for submitting a photo!

•       Weekly prizes (contestants can enter one time/week)

•       Weekly featured photos: up to 5 weekly entries will be selected from the gallery and featured on the Facebook fan page and awarded a $500 gift card on Shutterfly and a copy of the new Lonely Planet travel photography book.

•       Grand prize: trip for 4 to Bahamas, 4 nights, family photo shoot

•       Shutterfly Sweepstakes - Official Rules

Married over a 1000 Days!!!

The other day my sister was over and took some family pictures...my personal favorites were some of my beloved and I! Can you believe we've been married over 1000 days!!! We celebrated our 1000th day anniversary on September 29th!!! We had a special getaway right here in our own town! Anyways over two and half years and still very much in love!