Big Picture shout out and other cool stuff

I gotta say I really love Big Picture Classes. It all started back in 2008 when I was just getting started scrapbooking again. I say again, because really I started scrapbooking as we think of it today in probably 1994 or so, with my sister Katrina. We even went to Pebbles in my Pocket back in the day. I only did a little, but loved seeing all the layouts Katrina did. Hers rocked!

So after I got married the scrapbooking bug hit. I had my photos and wanted to do something with them. I couldn't figure out my style, until I found Stacy Julian and Cathy Zielske and the girls at Simple Scrapbooks. It just clicked. So imagine my delight when I found out about Big Picture Classes just in time to take Design Your Life, by Cathy Z! I was thrilled and signed up immediately. That class basically taught me how to scrapbook, and needless to say, I totally loved it!

Since then I have taken quite a few other classes and have enjoyed those as well. Stacy Julian's Library of Memories--now Photo Freedom--totally changed the way I organize my photos and layouts, and just goes right along with how I scrap. She is teaching a new class this year: Twelve.

And the good news? Cathy Z has since turned Design Your Life into a Self Paced class, and you can get all the content for just $59. And the even better news? BPC is celebrating 6 years and you can grab this class for HALF OFF! Totally awesome! Or you can pick one of the other self paced classes. I know I will. Click here to find out more. Code expires Nov 20th.

Also, just heard about this today: Jessica Sprague is offering a FREE Holiday class. So cool! I will definitely be signing up for that one too. Click here to find out more. I have taken classes from her site before and really liked them. Stories in Hand was a free one I took, as well as Candice Stringham's photography classes which I highly recommend.

Enjoy! And Happy 6th Birthday BPC!

Christmas Cards and Adventures in a Do it Yourself Family Photo Shoot

Like many people I struggle with Christmas cards, and many years just skip them entirely. But since I am doing December Daily this year, I am in the preparing early mode and I found a card I liked from Paper Coterie. The bonus was a code for $30 off! So it totally paid off to do a search for a coupon code before ordering. Love that! And the card is customizable, you can play with the layouts, fonts, words, even word art. I'm excited to get these, I hope they work out. I rented a lens a few weeks ago and we tried some do it yourself family photographs with a tripod and remote shutter release. So no, they aren't totally professional, but they were fun. Here are just a few.

Gotta love an old red barn + October morning light. A cute subject really helps too :)

M&M's helped, and I'm totally ok with them being in the photo

Just picked her up and played. Love these moments

Love that she has her little pink dog in the photo.

Tried having a chalkboard with 2011 on it. She really didn't want to sit still. 

So we played and jumped

And ran back and forth. Gotta love multiple shots on self timer mode!



Things I might want to try next time:

• smaller bag of M&M's. I know I said I am okay with it but maybe a smaller bag would be good.
• try to get at least one more person to help. Maybe bribe them with a large bag of M&M's?
• photo props: saw a photographer at the barn and she had a cute vintage chair and a great old quilt. maybe more things to play with that also look cool.

Any other ideas for do it yourself family photo shoots? Would love to hear what others have done.