quote of the day

"You might not like where you are...but like where you're headed."  -Jasmine Star

On monday i got to hear Jasmine (along with some other amazing photographers) speak at the WPPI Roadtrip stop in Seattle.  There are really no words to describe that kind of inspiring and motivational day.  I came away with goals, new and fresh ideas, and a free website!  (more on that later.)
i promise to do a full blog post all about it soon with pictures.

you know how you have those moments when life makes sense...some call it an AHA! moment.  well, i want to share my moment with you...

Hi, I'm Shaina and I'm a photographer. 

things i love thursday

just a list of {things i love} today.  cuz that way you get to explore!!
but of course, my Flickr faves to start off with, cuz i can't post without something pretty to look at.

1. don't forget..., 2. Tangerine-Blueberry Medley, 3. B&W flare, 4. Untitled, 5. a special kind of double, 6. Fifty-One.52

and now on to the list!! :) 

• this was so much fun to watch.  and i love the tattoo idea too.  camera luv! check out all three parts 
• i am in love with these charms.  i have one i want to get for a certain online friend.  
• this post really made me think.  maybe it will make you think too? 
• i really want one of these t's.  kara's handwriting??  yes please!
• the effer girls are at it again.  i think i got my page in before the cut off.  hopefully!
• this etsy shop is so fun.  i love the quotes and also the option to pick your own quote on a product. love the coffee cups.
• also, just CSNstores.com.  amazing.  i love my bag i got from them 

happy thursday everyone!!
i have a fun weekend coming up. :)  i'll share soon.

your chance to win

one of the DISCOVERY kits from Scrapbooking from the Inside Out is up for grabs today on the fabulous Donna Downey's blog.  if you've been pining over the yummy papers and embellishments in this kit all month, put your name in for a chance to get your hands on it.  winner will be announced tomorrow. 

and if you do win, here are a couple of our challenges from the forum to get your mind working in the right direction....

*

Don’t Tell Me: What do you shy away from knowing to protect yourself? Are there difficult truths which you avoid in order to keep feeling good, or to avoid feeling bad? Are these truths about you and who you really are, or about the roles that others play in your life? Are there stories in your family that are kept secret which you choose not to pursue? What do you hide about yourself from others, and why?

All men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from, and to, and why. James Thurber

Please create a LO about something you avoid/have avoided discovering...are there untold truths that you'd just as soon not know?

For the design twist, please separate your photos from the truth - be it your title, or another representation of the thing you avoid.

 *

End of the Road: What is your image of success, the outcome and destination of your efforts? What do you wish to accomplish in the different realms of your life – personal, professional, physical, mental or spiritual? How will you know when you’ve reached your destination? Have you striven to accomplish a goal and found out when you reached it that your goal had actually moved? How much pressure do you feel to ‘accomplish’ rather than be in the moment and in the process? Does the end always justify the means? Do you value the journey, or only the destination?

Please create a LO about what you see as the 'destination' for you...how will you know you've arrived at your goals?

For the design twist, please show us how lofty your goals are by placing their images or descriptions high on your LO...it's a switch!

its been such a pleasure working with this kit and being a part of this community over at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.  are you inspired just by the challenge??  you don't need a kit to play along!!  come join us. :)  hope to see you there soon. 

goal number four

my biggest challenge for myself in my 4 simple goals, was number 4:  make one meal a week by myself. 
this might seem funny to those of you who don't know much about the family i've married into.  you might think its strange that i've been married 3 years and still don't make dinner every night for my husband. 

but here's the thing:  my mother-in-law is practically a gourmet chef and she taught chris sooo much in the kitchen.  so he loves to cook himself and does a really good job at it.  now i get in the kitchen and all i can think about is how high his expectations are going to be, or how bad my food is going to be in comparision to what he's known all his life.  so for the last 3 years i've just let him do it.  i help a lot; boil water, cut veggies, etc.  chris calls me his sous chef.  but i have never really "cooked a meal" all by myself in our kitchen. 

and i want to change that!  i know that the problem is me.  that my husband isn't going to criticize what i cook and that he will be supportive.  i really just need to get out of my own way and do it! 

so last night i did!!

i made rice with chicken broth as the liquid, cubed chicken fried with garlic and onions, and green beans with a garlic butter sauce. 

i hope this is the start of a beautiful friendship with my kitchen!  :) 
have some fun recipes you think i should try??  please send me links!!

the best surprise ever

i've been waiting for yesterday for such a long time...
it had been 3 years and 2 months since i'd last seen my younger brother, micah.  and i missed him something fierce.  he's the person i always wish i could share experiences with.  i always "wish micah was here."
well, on Monday the 23rd he was.
and we were sneaky kids and planned a surprise visit with mum.  :)

i made plans to have dinner with mum and dad that night, cuz we've been meaning to get together, but kept missing each other with our busy schedules.  so, in mum's eyes, it was just a regular monday night dinner.  but while she was at work that afternoon chris and i met up early with micah who made the long trip down from Grande Prairie (alberta, canada). 

we took pictures together. 

these are some of my favorite pictures ever.  this is so US.  even though we've been apart, it was like no time had passed.  it was nice to just be a sibling for a few hours. 

after we took the shots, we picked our favorite one, edited it, sent it to walmart to be printed and picked out a frame for it.  then it was time for the surprise portion of our day. 

mum got home from work at about 5 while micah and i were out getting dinner and the pictures.  he came up with the idea of how we would surprise mum.  genius boy!! i went into the house first with my hands full of dinner, while he waited up the driveway.  mum got up off the couch to help me and i told her i had a new picture for her to add to her wall.  i pulled this picture and in its frame out of my purse and handed it to her.

she took the frame and with tears in her eyes asked "how did you do that?" 
i smiled at her and said, "he's here.  he's coming down your driveway right now."

she was so shocked.  she ran outside and hugged her boy so tight.  i cried watching them, and was sooo grateful to have had a share in such a perfect surprise. 

this goes down in history as one of my favorite days ever.
i love you micah!!

my discovery

its time for my last page reveal from the amazing DISCOVERY kit from Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.  it has been a month of many life discoveries...about relationships and creativity.  this page is all about the discovery of vulnerability.

my journaling says:  i have made a recent discovery...that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness.  before, i used to think that being vulnerable meant leaving myself open for attack.  but in truth, by accepting my vulnerability i can ask for help and find strenth in those around me.  i can turn to God in prayer.  I can confide in my husband.  i can continue to grow up.  "for when i am weak, then i am powerful." -2 Cor 12:10

i have loved creating with this DISCOVERY kit, and there is still time to get one for yourself.  and need some inspiration??  check our our industry exclusive inspiration page full of amazing quotes, pictures and even songs.  and soon September will be here, with a brand new kit.  i promise, you'll love it!! 

she's a beautiful girl

i created another stop-motion video with these fun pictures that i took of jaimin.  that matched with one of my favorite KT Tunstall songs "suddenly i see." 

pictures of jaimin

this is my sweet friend jaimin.  she has a contagious smile, a giving spirit and a full and trusting heart.  it was my honor to take pictures of her yesterday.  we caught the sun and that magic hour, brought along a vintage chair and some balloons, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. even her cousin jessica came for a few pictures. you can view the whole album HERE.  these are some of my favorites from our shoot. 

this one took my breath away as soon as i took it.  <3

here is one more shoot to add towards my goal number 3.  i am so excited about learning and trying new things and becoming a better photographer.
thanks for taking a peek. :)

things i learned

today i turn 24 years old... and every year i do a list of the things i've learned during the previous year.  and this year the concept fit in perfectly with the theme of DISCOVERY over at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.  so today i have a kit layout and a list to share.  how pretty are these papers??  i was so excited to use them when i pulled them out of the kit!  yum!

and here is my list:  23 things i learned at 23

1. sunflairs make any picture better. 
2. getting a puppy can teach you a lot about yourself. 
3. my mental and emotional energy is too precious to squander on negative pessimistic people.
4. an examined life is one worth leading...especially when examined through a viewfinder. 
5. Windows 7... it was my idea!! 
6. my hair is and always will be constantly changing. 
7. trauma may callous our hearts but it can also bring us closer to those that matter. 
8. karaoke is one of my most favorite things. 
9. courage doesn't always roar.  sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying "i will try again tomorrow"
10. i have a passion for photography and the editing process. 
11. having an online presence is important to me. 
12. the opposite of loneliness is not togetherness... its intimacy. 
13. it is an honor to work with the special team of ladies over at SFTIO.
14. nothing compares to the thrill of performing on stage. 
15. i love being involved in weddings, especially as a bridesmaid. 
16. my problem is with the setting of goals, not the reaching them. 
17. i should never stop writing poetry...my soul needs to write words. 
18. little things make me really happy.  like my Starbucks cup. 
19. a f/1.8 lens can help me make magic.
20. my piercing is a special part of who i am.  its staying!!
21. its the friends who see the pain behind the smile who really matter. 
22. thursdays will always be my favorite day. 
23. the hard times pass like the good ones do. 

 so here is to a new year of life.  a year that's going to be full of much happiness and even more lessons learned.  thank you to everyone who 'comes along' with me on my journey through reading my blog.  you make me smile. 

4 simple goals

like i mentioned in my {things i love} thursday post from last week, i was really intrigued by Elsie's 4 simple goals concept. the intention is to accomplish these goals before 2011.  i really enjoyed this.  i took some time to put together a list of things that will make my life richer, will push me to fulfill my dreams and give me some fun motivation.  there are a lot of people participating and its been fun to see everyone's goals.  here is my list:

1. studio space, 2. lilah... my new laptop, 3. i'd rather take photos., 4. Cooking

1: create a unique and inspiring studio space ~ i've got my ideas collected and my curtains made, but now its time to make my dreams a reality.  once we sign the papers on the house, im buying paint!!  i am eager to decorate and make a place that feels like home.  and also a space that is functional for everything i do and am going to do in my studio. 

2: type every day ~  i am going to use this goal to motivate me in a few ways.  specifically in my medical transcription course.  if i do a little bit every day i will finish.  this makes it seem not so daunting in my mind.  i am also including in this goal efforts to be a better blogger.  to type from an authentic place and really make my blog everything i want it to be. 

3: continue to perfect my craft ~  my photography is something that i want to give more attention to.  i want to develop my own artistic viewpoint and really capsulize who i am as a photographer.  this means planning more shoots and practicing all the time.  taking pictures has brought me so much joy this year...i can't wait to see where it continues to take me.

4: make one meal a week by myself ~ chris is the cook in our house.  and he is damn good at it.  which is why i've just let the kitchen been his realm for so long.  i've felt like my "skills" in the kitchen could never match up.  but it is my goal to TRY!  i want to learn to be better.  so my goal is to make at least on meal for chris all by myself.  something that will help me reach this goal is the cooking lessons chris' mum is going to start giving me once they move into their new place.  i am soooo excited about this!!


lets go out with a BANG! 2010!!  these 4 simple goals will be steps toward my biggest goal:  leading a happy and fulfilled life. 
playing along??  leave me a link!!

quote of the day

"fear is one of the worst and most limiting emotions in life.  its also a fact.  we're all unsettled by something.  but i think life is a process of moving items from the "scared of" to the "not scared of" list.  so, you know what im not worried about anymore?  Failure:  it doesn't exist.  "failure" is just what happens when we loose perspective.  i should have seen failure as an unavoidable low point, no more or less important than the experiences i call successes." 

the best news!!!

i got a call earlier this morning letting us know.... our mortgage loan was APPROVED!!! 
that means that within the next few days we will be signing papers and be the official owners of the house we've been living in for the last year and falling in love with.  we are beyond excited!! 
living in, owning and loving 43 Hemlock. 

now i get to dream about all the renovations and decorating we get to do!! 
oh yeah!! 

things i love thursday

thursdays are my favorite day of the week.  i know i say that every thursday... but i do it mostly for myself.  so that in the future when i look back at my blog posts, i will remember how thursdays were the most perfects days.

today i have some fun things to share.  some things that made me say "oh i LOVE that"!!  hence:  {things i love} thursday.  :)

to begin with i have my most recent favorite images from Flickr.  everyday when i log in i am blown away by the beautiful images and all the inspiration.

1. Untitled, 2. Untitled, 3. Untitled, 4. Untitled, 5. {vintage}, 6. [summertime]


feel like being crafty this weekend??  take 15 minutes and an old t-shirt and turn them into a cute tote.

tutorial found HERE at Apartment Therapy.  i simply {love} that blog!! 

i heard this story about the most amazing $5 wedding dress and fell in {love} with the pictures from the wedding.  in particular this picture:

a simply perfect vintage inspired wedding.  it looks like such a fun event too.  what a fun couple and group of friends.  {love} this story!  thanks kyla for the link!! 

this week the wonderfully talented and creative elsie came up with a blog idea called 4 Simple Goals. 

read all about the concept HERE.  i think 4 is a very doable number.  :)  look for my 4 simple goals post in the next few days.  i think i need this. 

and lastly today i want to share some of my cousin Whitney's work.  she did a shoot just yesterday and this image has got to be one of my favorites ever!!

so that is my thursday post.  things that make me smile.
have a wonderful day!!

a sneak peek!

last month i was contacted via Facebook by a friend about my photography.  she lives in Spokane now and said she wanted me to take some family pictures for her and her boyfriend.  i was so honored to be asked, and so on monday we got together in the gorgeous Manito Park for their shoot.  Kirsten has a son named Conner and a daughter that she adopted from hati named Gabby.  and her boyfriend, Rob has a son, Mitch, who was visiting.  we caught the beautiful evening light and had a fun, fast shoot. 

so today i want to share a quick sneak peek of their images. 

i'll have their full shoot up on facebook soon, but i wanted to share these ones.  how cute are these kids?? 
thanks for letting me have the honor of shooting your little family. 
i hope you love your pictures!! 

its monday!!

so that means that i get to share another page from the DISCOVERY kit from Scrapbooking from the Inside Out. 

these were some fun pictures that were taken of me during my friend tracy's maternity shoot.  and i think they are perfect for the theme of 'discovering' my passion for photography.  im learning so much just by doing...by taking more and more pictures and im proud of my work. 

my journaling says:  I have always had a love for photography, but this year i have discovered my passion for it.  I am taking on shoots and building my portfolio.  photography brings me so much joy. 

there is so much that can be explored with our theme this month DISCOVERY.  and we've got our first challenge of the month up on the forum!!  come explore your inner world with us over at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out. 

a quick photoshoot

my friends cam and amanda came over for the weekend and i sprung the idea of a real quick photoshoot on them right after they got here.  and they said "OK."  to which i squealed with delight and drove them to the pretty light i saw on the way home.  here are my favorites from our 40 mins out shooting. 

thank you for letting take some special pictures of you guys. 
i hope you treasure them.