I know, all my regular readers are wondering what on earth I am doing going to BlogHer again when I barely have time to blog?? Well, I am hoping with Apple starting school in the Fall that life will settle back into a routine, one where I get to write posts in a timely fashion and give my blog the attention it deserves once again.
This summer has been so crazy I haven’t even had time to celebrate my Sixth Anniversary of blogging!! That will have to wait for the Fall, yet one more thing to wait for. In the meantime I am hoping to be rejuvinated by my trip to BlogHer. I am flying out tonight and arriving close to 1am our time so hopefully I can catch a few winks on the plane. This is the farthest I have been away from my children and the first time flying this far alone… ever… needless to say I am a tad bit nervous. My eReaders are filled to the brim and if need be I can break out my computer and do a little work as well.
Last year we went to NYC for BlogHer, it was hot and it was amazing.
This year we are headed to San Diego, California. My children are greatly dissappointed that they aren’t coming with me, mostly because I will get to see Miss Brenda and Miss Bethany and they won’t. There is always Thanksgiving.
If you are attending BlogHer and will be at Mom Central’s Canadian Embassy Party on Thursday night, be sure to say hi to me, I will be there with my camera to capture all the awesome Canadians. Stop by the photobooth to have your picture taken with a Mountie or just mingle and meet other fabulous Canadians.
I am also doing something a little different this year. I will be out and about with my camera so I will be loading up a gallery that you are welcome to view as well as purchase digital downloads if you like. To view the gallery please go to my Anna Epp Photography Photocart and “Create an Account” once you do that and log in, you will be able to see the BlogHer gallery. Just click on the thumbnail to view the gallery.
Be sure to say ‘hi’ if you see, I love meeting fellow bloggers that I have been following along in real life. And if by chance you are a native of San Diego and you have a surfboard, I would love it if I could surf just once in the Pacific, so I can say that I have surfed both coasts. Just to let you know, I am not that good though.
I decided to set out a few challenges for myself this year. No, not Resolutions, but challenges. I think I have started and stopped a 365 project about five times over the years. I forget one day and then the whole thing just petters off. Well, I have kept up with it for 33 days and I am pretty proud of myself.
A bunch of my photos are later in the evening because I only remembered at the end of the day, so now I have set an alarm on my phone so that I will be reminded while there is still sunshine out and I can be sure to stop and capture a photo. Some photos will be from shoots, just because I don’t always take other photos on those days for obvious reasons. And last of all some are from my phone because sometimes that is all I have with me when I think of it. I am not very good at shooting with my phone, but I hope to get better this year, hope is the key word. Something about not looking through a viewfinder drives me crazy.
Here is a mosaic of my photos so far, a couple are missing because they are on my phone and it was a big enough challenge today to find them all and add them here for you to see.
In addition to this challenge, I have joined with a few other Ladies with cameras to pull out our old film SLR’s and try out a few rolls. I am almost through my first roll and am looking forward to seeing what comes out of the camera. Having shot film for most of my life, it is strange to go back after digital and deem whether something is film worthy or not. I am not ‘cheating’ as in I am not setting up a shot with my digital camera first then shooting it with film, although I am tempted to. I am going straight for the old fashion, set it all up and shoot with film. Who knows perhaps I will start carrying my film camera with me on other shoots as an added bonus.
And please take a look at my new fabulous banner!! Secret Agent Josephine did it again and captured myself with Apple and J in an illo. I just love it to pieces. Thank you Brenda!! If you are looking for a new banner for your own blog I highly recommend her talent. I will admit that I had a little trouble with the blue stripe and my menu not lining up properly, I tried and I tried but I just couldn’t fix that part. I will get it fixed, when I have a little more free time.
Well, apparently the end of June is the busiest time of the year next to Christmas. The good news is that nobody was hurt during the Earthquake we had yesterday. Despite J’s school being evacuated, Hubby having to work double overtime and Apple and I having to pick up a few things that fell down we really didn’t suffer much more than some shaken nerves and a reminder that we are not immune to the ground shaking.
Before I announce the winner of the Swanky Paper Giveaway I have to say that Heather, from Swanky Paper, emailed me today after reading about my Blogiversary and offered to donate the cards for my giveaway. How sweet is Heather? Be sure to think of her if you are looking for some notecards or invitation, I do love her designs as much as I love paper. Thank you Heather.
Now to announce the winner. I used the Random.org generator and it picked comment number 1.
Shannon!
Go figure that A Crafty Mom who may be the only person I know who loves paper more than I do would win this giveaway. Congratulations Shannon and be sure to enter today’s Giveaway.
Now onto today’s giveaway. I am sticking with the wood/paper theme here and giving away one of Sharilyn’s Pocket Books from Lovely Design. I ordered one a few months ago and just love it. The pocket book is handmade, using scraps of paper such as old maps, accounting papers, lined papers and many more. The books are bound and covered in a gorgeous linen, I chose the Robin’s Egg Blue and use it for notes and reminders. In between the pages there are little pockets with surprises and it just adds so nicely to the books. Sharilyn also has other great products. I am eyeing the Address file, so that may just be my next purchase.
I will also add that Sharilyn is extremely busy and can’t even keep the pocket book and journal books in stock. The next order should be ready in the next few weeks, so I am on the waitlist ready to order one for the winner the moment they are released. So your prize will not be delivered immediately but in a few weeks time.
For today’s giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment and tell me how do you keep all of your addresses organized? I have two ways, my old daytimer and it’s address pages and my address book on my computer, but neither is truly complete so I need to make a decision and update on and get rid of the other. Contest closes at 6pm on Friday, June 25th where a winner will be randomly chosen from all entries.
