So much HOPE!!

I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face because I am just so full of HOPE right now.

HOPE is something that I don't always feel… I watch the news and lose hope. I see so many of my friends suffering struggling and I lose hope. I see disease taking away loved ones and I lose hope. I walk into my laundry room and see mountains of clothing and lose hope (yup some days it is sadly just that simple).

But this week I am full of HOPE.

Live Different is the organization that I use to go to Mexico, Dominican and Haiti to build with and help change lives. I love them. They are Canadian. They are determined to help meet the most basic needs of some of the neediest in our world. WestJet is one of their biggest sponsors and this week a video has been flying around the internet… WestJet's "Blue Santa" went to the Dominican to the same community I was there building with and I recognize so many of the children!!!

And WestJet has definitely built a LOT of homes in this community and now a playground I plan on playing on in February when I go back to visit… but I need to give a special call-out to Live Different and the people who have dedicated their lives to helping those in our world struggling to even have the basics in life… they along with companies like WestJet give me hope.

So I am heading back to Haiti in February (we fly into Dominican so that is why we get to visit the above community again). And because I am NOT a large organization like WestJet, my "offerings" are smaller, but having been there and seen first hand, I fully understand the difference even $1 makes…. sadly it is shocking… but seeing how many are willing to get involved gives me hope :)

There are 3 ways you can help me "multiply my offerings"…

1. My good friend Jennifer Reynard (who has a heart of gold), is hosting one of her infamous crops here in Calgary and donating the proceeds to the trip in February where we will continue to help build a school there. This fills me with hope as this crop fills up. There are limited spots available so register ASAP if you would like to join us Jan. 24.

2. I am also doing an ONLINE AUCTION of mostly scrapbooking and crafting items, but also a few other goodies thrown in!! It started this past week and will pretty much run until it is either all gone or the Jan. 24 crop… whichever comes first!! 100% of all proceeds will go towards the Haiti trip and school so build generously and please SHARE!!!  It is on Facebook HERE.

 

3. If you would just like to donate money, you can do that too!!! Anything over $20 is tax receiptable and the link to do that is HERE.

And one more thing that just put a smile on my face this week and HOPE in my heart… I photographed a special lady… she wants to give her children the gift of a legacy portrait this Christmas… her and her husband have been married over 55 years… she understands that one day these photos will be precious… we had so much fun!! We added eyelashes and lip gloss and dressed her up in beautiful lace and sparkly jewels and we talked for hours about everything from marriage and how she met her husband to her favourite perogy recipe and fashion. I know her children will see the beauty of this portrait and now I just pray that she will also see it as she is truly a beautiful lady inside and out.

In case it isn't already obvious… I love what I do.

And because my heart for photography and helping others go hand in hand, I have another way you can help support the school in Haiti… 100% of proceeds from my photography this Christmas is going towards the funds for this trip AND I created a Christmas Special...

So with the purchase of a Deluxe Photo Session ($175), you receive a BONUS GIFT worth over $175 ($350+ value for only $175). And it all goes towards the Haiti school building trip in February. But HURRY as there are only 5 left!!!

Oh my and ONE more way to help with Haiti… I am now a Mary Kay consultant and am also donating all my proceeds towards the trip from now until I leave in February so if you would like a catalogue or would like to put in an order, please let me know!!

Mixed Media for Photography?!?!?!

So suffice it to say… I am just having WAY TOO MUCH FUN!!!

Not only am I LOVE LOVE LOVING playing in my new studio with beautiful everyday women (like Carlyn seen above who is expecting her first baby soon!!)… but I am also LOVING learning and playing with computer editing on my portraits!!!

As an artist who has been active in the scrapbooking world for decades and a photographer for even longer, it pleases me to no end to be able to create art with my photography!!!  Starting with beautiful props, gorgeous fabrics and a plethora of flowers and creative photo sessions with hair and makeup perfect for portraits and posing women just right to look their best and editing with artistic filters and colours and effects on the computer and finally presentation of professionally printed images in a beautiful frame or folio box.

And it IS ALL ART!!!  

In the crafting world, we call combining artistic methods "Mixed Media" (and may I just say that my soul sista Christy Riopel is the Queen of Mixed Media?!?!?!  Check out this piece she did recently… I am in love… and she's going to help me do my own art canvas for my home!!!  Be sure to watch for that reveal!!!)

Anyways, I'm not sure what the equivalent of "Mixed Media" would be in the world of photography, but I am having fun exploring it and pushing the boundaries… 

all while helping everyday women get to experience something fun where they get to look and feel gorgeous and have a beautiful artistic portrait of themselves that they can be proud of…

Like Sammi (below) who bravely shaved her head for a friend going through cancer…
who is graduating this year…
and deserves to have a beautiful portrait in her stunning grad dress.

How I plan to fail in 2014

I love New Years!!  Partly because we always have a huge party to celebrate the New Year and partly because I seize any opportunity to re-evaluate my life and ponder and plan what I want to change.   I do this at New Years, on my birthday in March, at the beginning of Summer, start of Fall... pretty much anytime I can as I think it is the key to actually seeing growth in myself.

So after much pondering leading up to 2014, I decided that I will plan on failing on some things this year!!!

YES... I'm planning to fail in 2014!!!

Before you think I've gone a little "cray cray"... let me explain.  I've never really been scared of failure in my life... I fully admit I experience fear (like with spiders, heights, blood, being seen without make-up, etc.),

but I'm not scared of failure... 

if something lights a fire in my heart, 

I am the first to jump on it and go for it.  

If it works out, GREAT, if not, 

live and learn and move on.

There is a pattern in my life of me trying somewhat crazy things... this is what led me many years ago to try out for my college volleyball team despite never having really played (and yes, I made the team)

It's what made me jump at a job in inner city Winnipeg working with street kids (and wandering all alone through some pretty dangerous areas of town... much to my mother's chagrin!!  I just kept telling her "Mom, if I'm meant to be shot, I'm not going to drown".  I'm sure that calmed her!!!!)

It's also what led me to take a chance with this guy who caught my eye one night sitting in Bible Study at church (I still have the note I wrote out to phone him when I knew he was out... I rehearsed it over and over to make sure I sounded calm, cool and collected when leaving a message!!  It worked!!!  He called me back, we talked for hours and the rest is history!!!)

Years later after "finding scrapbooking"... I entered the biggest contest out there at the time... Creating Keepsakes Magazine's infamous "Hall of Fame" contest and got chosen and published in the 2003 edition!!!!  (It was only honourable mention, but it ignited my passions and long story short, led me to my first front cover with Better Homes and Gardens Magazine and regular appearances on TV that I still do to this day!!!

And THAT led me to probably the craziest BHAG (Big Harried Audacious Goal) I ever had... I took a HUGE risk and planned, coordinated and hosted a Scrapbooking Cruise... and I had NEVER EVEN BEEN ON A CRUISE SHIP BEFORE!!!  Talk about biting off more than I can chew... but it worked and I did it again and again as it made for some of the best adventures of my life and friendships that I am eternally grateful for!!!

So you see, I could go on and on about how my life is FULL of taking chances and risking failure (btw, not all of my BHAGs work out!!  Sometimes things don't go as planned... but I don't let it knock me down and out... like our favourite fish says... "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!"

And this year, 2014, I am planning to fail because I'm setting up some pretty crazy goals... one I've already failed!!!

Perhaps you have heard about "365 Grateful"... it's a challenge to take a photo each day of something you are grateful for.

Well... I've already failed!!!!  

And it's only January!!!! 

And I'm a photographer!!!

  

BUT IT'S OK!!! I knew full well I would fail!!!  But that doesn't stop me from trying and still taking photos some days and striving to be more grateful in my life in 2014.  In fact, it's my word of the year for 2014 (and this photo is one of the ones I DID take of my orchids from that handsome guy posted above that are blooming beautifully)...

So although I'm planning to fail at the official 365 Grateful challenge, I am NOT planning to fail at being more grateful and taking photos of random things I wouldn't otherwise photograph that make me happy and grateful for the abundant blessings in my life... I just won't do it every day and that's ok!!

And one more way I plan to fail in 2014...

I mean, it's bound to happen...

And I'm bracing myself for it now...

Because I don't want THIS failure in particular to stop me...

I'm going to take a beautiful photo of a beautiful woman... and she's NOT going to like it and she will NOT see it as beautiful or see herself as beautiful.

And there will be nothing more I can do about it except hope and pray that one day she will see herself the way others see her and especially the way God sees her... a beautiful creation worthy of celebration for simply being alive.  So in anticipation of this inevitability, I'm choosing to focus instead on all the women who DO come through my studio who not only LOVE the experience, but also LOVE their photos... like Tanya... wife, daughter, devoted hockey-mom, scrapbooker, friend to many and much more that makes her truly beautiful (inside and out)!!!!

Yup... I am bound to fail in my BHAG of photographing every day women and capturing beautiful photos for them... 

but that's ok... 

and I will persevere 

because I know the truth :)

Getting Closer!!!

So I'm getting closer and closer to being able to "OFFICIALLY" launch the opening of my new studio... since moving over 3 years ago, I've not really run my portrait business (as I have no studio!!) and I've missed it dearly!!!

Yes, I've been galavanting around the world taking photos, teaching photography in hot tropical locations and writing a photography article for Canada's BEST magazine ever (Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine!) and having way too much fun with my camera (and not-so-fun moments dunking it in the ocean!!), but I really really REALLY miss my studio and the ART of creating a beautiful portrait!!!

Yes, it is ART.  It is a beautiful form of ART.  ART that captivates attention when seen.  

I am loving that I can take any and all women and show their beauty... well... MEN can be "beautiful" as well (at least that's what they say in Brazil!!)

But I don't just want the "beautiful" by society's standards to come for portraits... I want EVERYONE... every age, every size, every nationality, every everything... 

...because EVERYONE has beauty 

and deserves to be celebrated simply for being who they are right now.

And so while getting my studio ready for "official launch" (COMING THIS FALL!!), I've been taking courses and intently studying and practicing with many wonderful women to refine my ART.

And I think I'm going to try a "Photo Friday" where I will post a beautiful photo each Friday and perhaps share a bit of their story... 

So this is my beautiful niece Kayla... and she just graduated and is taking a year to go on an amazing adventure through Canada first semester and then off to Guatemala next semester where she will get to do humanitarian work and really grow and learn about herself and our world!!!  I am so excited for her and seeing this beautiful picture of her makes me smile as I can not see only see her outward beauty, but more importantly her inner beauty that simply SHINES out through her smile :)