Christmas Photo Cards (& Baby Announcements)!!!

I am so excited about these new Christmas/Holiday and Newborn Templates that I just purchased! Up until this point I have been designing newborn or senior annoucements on a one-on-one basis and using only the holiday cards that my photo processor offered. I have had long time visions of designing my own line (including the resources, ideas, and know-how), but not the TIME!!! So when I saw these beautiful templates designed by two different, very talented designers, I jumped on the chance to add them to my offerings! (I am SO EXCITED in fact, that I decided to offer 10 free holiday cards to all of my Oct 13th outdoor shoot day clients! Details will be added to that post below).

The great thing about them is they are completely customizable. So if you like the concept of one but want to change the colors and text or layout, it can be done just to your specifications! Great as birthday invitations as well!

Here are some of the samples. Aren't they just adorable. Beautiful, modern, shabby chic. (A few of these I don't have, but there are some others not shown that I have too). Hopefully by the Oct 13th shoot I will have a full flyer to hand out at each shoot showing better examples of the designs and will be handing them out at shoots from then on.

HOLIDAY EXAMPLES (though some can double as baby annoucements and vice versa):


BABY EXAMPLES:



I will also be offering wall collages now as well - 16x20 or 10x20 sizes mostly. Something I've wanted to do for a long time but also haven't had the time to sit down and design the layouts for. Here's a few ideas of what those might look like:



I am currently in the process of completely updating all of my web galleries (thought it would be done by Friday, but I'm having to face that this is a MUCH bigger project than I planned!) and will have some of the wall templates with sample photos of mine directly on the new gallery.

(Side note, while the style is similar to mine, all of the examples here are straight from the designer, so the photo credits go to either them or whatever talented photographer they used photos from). :)

Details on the holiday cards:
-All of these new templates are 5x7 and will include white envelopes (though they could be printed as 4x5 if preferred)
-The same 4x8 holiday cards that I offered last year are also still available
-Flyer showing exact designs should be available sometime in Oct
-Pricing has actually gone DOWN from last year, as now I can offer quantity discounts. Prices will be as follows:

20 cards for $45 ($2.25ea)
40 cards for $70 ($1.75 ea)
60 cards for $85 ($1.42ea)
80 cards for $95 ($1.19ea)
100 cards for $115 ($1.15ea)
120 cards for $130 ($1.08ea)
150 cards for $150 ($1.00ea)

Complete text customizing (based on the space of your chosen design) included.
Color or layout changes depending on your needs - one time $10 fee.

FYI, Last day to shoot and get reprints in time for Christmas is Wed Dec 5th, though getting your session in by November will give you more time to decide on your order.

Merry Christmas Everyone! (These can't help but put me in the holiday mood). :)
-Shannon :)

PS - HS Seniors, do not despair! I have an awesome new line of Senior Annoucements available now as well! Modern, hip, urban. Samples will be up on the website shortly and I will eventually have a flyer of these as well.

Announcing a Fall Family OUTDOOR SHOOT DAY!!!

-Scheduled for Saturday October 13th, 2007-
-OUTDOORS at Como Park in Saint Paul-
(Only 9 slots available!!!)


Bring the family and get that
perfect outdoor picture!

Scheduled to coincide with peak autumn
colors (though one can never be sure). :)












This special all day shooting event offers you:
- a 45 minute outdoor session time
- an 8x10 print included
- an online gallery of your images for you to view and/or forward to friends and relatives
- a discounted session price of just $59 (for up to 6 people)
- NEW! 10 Free Holiday Cards to all Outdoor Shoot Day participants (these will be given as a bonus on top of any other cards you might order; no card order necessary to receive the 10 free).

While these sessions are intended for FAMILY PHOTOS, they are open for CHILDREN ONLY sessions as well. Shooting separate photos of kids together and/or individually is part of each family session.

Each relaxed session will include casual photos of your family playing / walking / cuddling as well as the more traditional family portrait with big smiles aimed at the camera.

Other details:
-For families of more than 6 people, please add $5 per person.
-In case of rain, clients will have the option of: 1) shooting indoors at their same day/time, 2) rescheduling for the next day Sunday Oct 14th, or 3) reschedling for a morning or afternoon slot during the following week, based on current availability.
-Payment is required in advance to reserve your spot and keep the day running smoother, and can be made by check or credit card.
-Slots will be booked on a first come first serve basis.

Time slots are as follows:

9:45am - confirmed, Nyberg
10:30am - confirmed, Dobrovolny
11:15am - reserved, Peters
-
12:45pm - confirmed, Wallace
1:30pm
2:15pm
3pm - confirmed, Such
-
4:15pm
5pm - confirmed, Fahning

Please contact me with your first, second, and third requested time slots. Email: stphotoanddesign@juno.com or visit www.stphotoanddesign.com for other contact details. Once payment is complete your spot will be confirmed. The week of the shoot, final directions and details will be emailed out. Online galleries will be ready to view approximately 10 days after the session.

Halloween Costume CONTEST!!! Free event!

How cute is your kid going to be in their Halloween Costume this year!?!? Adorable, I'm sure of it. I love seeing little ladybugs, brave spidermen, and beautiful princesses dance around the neighborhood each year.

(Delia and her friends in their costumes a couple years back. Note: we'll be using a white background for the upcoming event, not black).

To see as many cute little munchkins in their adorable little costumes as possible, I decided to offer a "Halloween Costume Contest!" (this is INSTEAD of the Halloween shoot day I had planned on earlier). And it's FREE!!!

You might see some of these posters floating around local coffee shops and such:


Here's the details as the poster might be hard to read at this size:
- Ages 10 & under allowed to enter.
- Get a free photo taken of your little one in their costume!
- TREAT BAGS for every child!
- Gourmet snacks and treats for moms & dads.
- Boutique items to browse & purchase.
- Prize entries for parents!

WHEN:
Two different days & four time slot options to come on over and show off your Halloween get-up:
A -Tues Oct 30th, 10am-noon - lots of availability
B -Tues Oct 30th, 12:30-2pm - lots of availability
C -Wed Oct 31st, 3-4:30pm - some availablity
D -Wed Oct 31st, 4:30-6pm - FULL
(updates are as of Sunday, Oct 28th)
REGISTRATION WILL BE TAKEN THROUGH Monday for Tues sessions, and through Tues for Wed sessions).

1) REGISTER:
Email me at stphotoanddesign@juno.com with your name, email, phone, and the number of kids you're bringing, plus YOUR CHOSEN TIME SLOT (A, B, C, or D). You will receive a confirmation email with directions the week of the event.
(There is a MAXIMUM number of kids allowed for each time range, so register early to get the one you want!)

2) Show up anytime during your time range. Allow for about 15+ minutes (possibility of additional wait time depending on when people arrive).

3) Kids get to goof off in the studio and get their photo taken (no fee, no purchase obligation, photos will be available to see in an online gallery).

4) Kids & moms/dads/friends hang out and enter to win great PRIZES, enjoy SNACKS & DRINKS, shop the "mini-boutique" of photo items and holiday gifts, and more!

I will choose three (3) cute little ones (finalists) to post on my blog, and then anyone and everyone will have one week to vote for the Halloween Costume Contest Winner! Winner will receive a $20 Target Gift Card, as well as a Fantastic Photo Frame, & Free 5x7 Print. (The three finalists will be chosen based on their costume AND their photo. Winner is responsible for picking up their prize. All 3 finalists will receive a free 5x7 print).

So sign 'em up, dress 'em up, and bring 'em on over!!! Can't wait to see all costumes. :) Email me to REGISTER!!!

FYI, if you're not familiar with my photography business, you can check out my main website at
http://www.stphotoanddesign.com. I am a contemporary photographer with a cozy little studio in the Como Park area.

Blog Oops!

Ok, so I will naively admit that I just realized that those of you who are signed up to "get my feed" - where the blog posting comes automatically to your email, rather than you actually going directly to my blog - are getting an un/pre-edited version of each of my postings! So I am sorry for the misspellings, strange photo order, or anything else that might look/seem a little off with each one (maybe you've been thinking I'M a little "off!")

The reason for this IS: when I create each posting, I tend to shoot down my ideas, upload the photos, etc. and then immediately "post" it so that I can see what it actually looks like, and then go back in and make 1, 2, or 5 different edits depending on what problems it's having (if you're at all familiar with blogging, you'll know that the "preview" option does not really allow you to get an idea for what the posting will actually look like, so I've found it more convenient to see the actual post before editing - particularly where photo placement is involved; they tend to overlap or be odd colors, or do all sorts of weird things).

So, OOPS! If you have been getting this "rough" version sent to your email, I apologize for my "faux pas." I'm really a little more meticulous than it may seem. :) If you don't believe me, click onto my actual blog (you might have to hit refresh) and check out the "refined" version of each posting. Or don't waste your time... I'm sure you have better things to do. :)

Cheers,
Shannon :)

Feed My Starving Children - fall photoshoot donations

Last year around Christmastime I had the honor of spending a day at a Feed My Starving Children location. FMSC is a very unique organization that has a very real answer to world hunger. We took part in packing up actual meals (think the perfect nutritional "instant rice mix") that get sent to real kids who are starving each and every day. We heard wonderful stories of malnurished children who had been nursed back to health through the food source of FMSC. And we heard some tragic stories too. Desparate mothers who felt it was better to abandon or "dispose" of their child rather than let that child face the painful reality of a slow death via starvation. It is hard for me to write even now.

Hunter is 6 months old now and pretty relaxed; but in his "early days" :) he was a hungry and demanding baby. Even on a well balanced schedule, being fed every 3 hours with solid naps in between, when he woke up from his nap he would scream at the top of his lungs, like he was facing death itself, until he got his bottle. Sometimes it was hard not to laugh at him, so intense and upset over something that took just 3 minutes to prepare.

But even with my good sense of humor over the crying uproar, it passed through my mind many a times the horrible heart-wrenching reality that many mothers across the world hear their child scream in hunger and have nothing to feed them. It was then that I decided to do a fall fundraiser for FMSC.

Fall is my busiest time of year by far. For each regular family/child shoot in Oct, Nov, and Dec, I will be donating $10 to FMSC. While I can and will continue to support groups like FMSC and World Vision on my own, I knew this would also be a good chance to raise awareness about FMSC and what they do.

So check out www.fmsc.org and learn more about how you can help them on your own. I'm hoping to volunteer again this fall, but I do know their food packing sessions fill up fast - it is such a unique and hands-on opportunity that many church and school groups book their times far in advance. But take your family if you can (they even do kids birthday parties!) - you will not regret it and your familiy (as well as one across the world) will benefit from the experience.

(note: these photos are from the FMSC website, and photo credits belong to the designated FMSC photographer who took them).

Need a Mortgage???

A few months back my hubbie started his own mortgage business, Neighborhood Lending, Inc., and I have been meaning to write about it ever since! Yours truly got the gig of designing his "creative identity" - logo, business cards, web layout, etc. Check out my handiwork at his website. (I should note that BWoods Design put up the web page for us, and she also does a great job with all of my behind-the-scenes "technical web stuff.)

So if you happen to be in need of refinancing, looking for lending for a new home, or perhaps adding a second mortgage, get in touch with Tim and see what he can do for you. He's been doing mortgages for eight years, so he's one sharp cookie! ;) But even more importantly, he's sincere, honest, and will look out for your best financial interests.

Tim is looking to transition into another type of job in the future (management? law school?), but he plans on hanging on to Neighborhood Lending either way, so keep him in mind. A little bonus is that this new business has allowed Tim to work from home for the past few months, so Delia, Hunter, and I have been enjoying his company. :)

My Sister's Married!!!

My younger sister Erin got married this past weekend "up north" in Crosslake, MN where my parent's have a cabin. She married David Olson, and while we haven't known him for long, we're happy to welcome him into the family!

The wedding went beautifully, the weather was great, and despite the fact that I was not the photographer (rather a bridesmaid) I managed to take over 400 pictures. Don't ask how... I just can't help myself! Here are a few of my favorites, and a funny one or two as well. (And I'll throw in a couple engagement pix that I took just 3 months before - yes, they planned their wedding in just 3 months - an incredible accomplishment). :)























While not your typical lighting, I thought this photo came off as rather striking.






One of the few photos of me; pinning my sister's dress up so she won't trip.















An especially gorgeous picture of my two other sisters. :)


The reception was held at this location, the White Fish Lodge & Suites in Crosslake. We had the pleasure of staying there for two nights; the hotel is very unique - it has a high-end, up-north feel. (Delia didn't want to leave after spending two nights on the top bunk of her log bed, watching TV in the corner of "her own" room).




























While we couldn't actually get a good picture of my own family, we did manage to get this cute one of Delia & Hunter with their "Bapa & Mimi" - my parents.


Delia and two of her beautiful aunties.


My sleepy little flower girl (but she came through when it came to walking down the aisle!)


















She had these beautiful birch bark candles all over the reception... elegant but rustic.




Hunter "and guest." 6 months old now! Flirting at the reception with a "slightly older babe" - the daughter of my friend Jennie - in his sophisticated get-up.
















Erin & David's engagement pix - we took these back in May. Engaged over Memorial Day Weekend, married Labor Day Weekend!